Sunrise, FL – Marcel Goc was the only successful shootout 2 win in the opener of a home-and-home series against the Lightning.
Ed Jovanovski and Kris Versteeg each scored in regulation for Florida, which won its home opener after splitting its first two games on the road.
Jose Theodore stopped 28 shots, including five in overtime, while Mathieu Garon made 36 saves in defeat.
Marc-Andre Bergeron lit the lamp twice in the third period for the Lightning, who finished a 1-2-2 road trip to start the season. Tampa Bay will open its home slate on Monday against its intra-state and Southeast Division rival.
Goc, Florida's second entry in the shootout, snuck one between Garon's pads, while Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier were each unsuccessful for Tampa Bay.
Jovanovski's power play tally accounted for the only goal in the first two periods, as his slap shot from the point hit off both a skate and stick in front before finding the back of the net at 11:48 of the opening stanza.
A silent second period was the calm before an entertaining final 10-plus minutes. Bergeron tied things with a slap shot at 9:43, only to have Versteeg answer with a power play goal off a cross-ice pass from Dmitry Kulikov with 2:55 to play.
The Lightning countered 39 seconds later when Bergeron's one-timer from the top of the right circle beat Theodore.
Game Notes
Florida won four of six over Tampa Bay last season...The Panthers improved to 9-5-2-2 all-time in home openers.
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