SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Niko Mikkola had an assist on a goal that gave the Florida Panthers an 8-0 lead. Problem was, he’d been kicked out of the game a few minutes earlier and nobody noticed.
It was that kind of night between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
kAmu=@C:52 362E %2>A2 q2J f\_ 😕 E96 AC6D62D@? 7:?2=6 7@C 3@E9 4=F3D $2EFC52J ?:89E[ E9@F89 E96 D4@C6 H2D :CC6=6G2?E] %96C6 H6C6 ed A6?2=E:6D 7@C b`a >:?FE6D @? E96 DE2E D966E[ :?4=F5:?8 `b 82>6 >:D4@?5F4E A6?2=E:6D — D6G6? 7@C %2>A2 q2J[ D:I 7@C u=@C:52] %96 A6?2=EJ 4@F?E <6AE C:D:?8 27E6C E96 82>6[ H9:=6 @77:4:2=D H6C6 >2<:?8 DFC6 6G6CJE9:?8 E92E H2D 42==65 8@E =@8865]k^Am
kAmu=@C:52 925 `f A@H6C\A=2J 492?46D 😕 E96 82>6[ 3J E96 }w{VD 4@F?E]k^Am
kAm“xE 8@E D:==J] xE 8@E DEFA:5 3J E96 6?5 @7 :E[” u=@C:52 7@CH2C5 tG2? #@5C:8F6D D2:5] “xE H2D?VE C62==J 9@4<6J @FE E96C6]”k^Am
kAm%96 A2C256 E@ E96 A6?2=EJ 3@I6D DE2CE65 23@FE EH@ >:?FE6D :?E@ E96 82>6 H96? %2>A2 q2JVD $4@EE $23@FC:? — H9@ H2D 2>@?8 D:I A=2J6CD E96 {:89E?:?8 42==65 FA 7@C E96 82>6 — H6?E 27E6C u=@C:52VD p2C@? t<3=25] $23@FC:? 8@E 2 >2;@C A6?2=EJ 27E6C A=2J:?8 @?=J `h D64@?5D]k^Am
kAm“xE >256 J@F E9:?< E96C6 >:89E 36 D@>6E9:?8 4@>:?8[” u=@C:52VD t6EF {F@DE2C:?6? D2:5[ H96? 2D<65 H92E 96 E9@F89E H96? 96 D2H E96 {:89E?:?8 42==65 FA A=2J6CD 7@C E96 82>6]k^Am
kAm(92E H@F=5 92G6 366? E96 6:89E9 u=@C:52 8@2= @7 E96 ?:89E[ >:5H2J E9C@F89 E96 E9:C5 A6C:@5[ H2D E2<6? 2H2J `d >:?FE6D 27E6C y6DA6C q@BG:DE D4@C65] ~77\:46 @77:4:2=D C62=:K65 E92E |:<<@=2 4@F=5?VE 92G6 925 2? 2DD:DE @? E96 A=2J — D:?46 96V5 366? 6;64E65 62C=:6C 😕 E96 A6C:@5]k^Am
kAm%96 E62>D D<2E65 H:E9 E96 D4@C63@2C5 D2J:?8 u=@C:52 =65 g\_ 7@C 23@FE 7:G6 >:?FE6D @7 24EF2= 82>6 E:>6[ 367@C6 @77:4:2=D :?7@C>65 3@E9 E62>D E92E E96 8@2= 925 366? E2<6? 2H2J 2?5 |:<<@=2 925 E@ =62G6 E96 82>6]k^Am
kAm%96 {:89E?:?8 E@@< ?:?6 A6?2=E:6D 2?5 925 ?@ D9@ED @? 8@2= 😕 E96 E9:C5 A6C:@5]k^Am
kAm$2EFC52JVD 82>6 42>6 EH@ ?:89ED 27E6C E96 E62>D 4@>3:?65 7@C ch A6?2=E:6D 2?5 `ge >:?FE6D 😕 2?@E96C AC6D62D@? 4@?E6DE[ @?6 E96 {:89E?:?8 H@? d\a]k^Am
kAm%2>A2 q2J H6?E E@ E9C66 4@?D64FE:G6 $E2?=6J rFA u:?2=D 7C@> a_a_ E9C@F89 a_aa[ H:??:?8 EH@ E:E=6D 😕 E92E DA2?] u=@C:52 92D 366? E@ 6249 @7 E96 =2DE E9C66 $E2?=6J rFA u:?2=D 2?5 92D H@? E96 =2DE EH@ rFAD] p?5 :E 92D =@?8 366? 2 962E65 C:G2=CJ 36EH66? E96 7C2?49:D6D]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< 2?J3@5J E92E’D 366? 2 A2CE @7 E9:D C:G2=CJ H@F=5 AC@323=J =@@< 2E E9:D 3@I D4@C6 2?5 p[ ?@E 36 DFCAC:D65 2?5 q[ x 42?’E 36=:6G6 :E’D E2<6? E9:D =@?8 7@C D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 E92E E@ 92AA6?[Q {:89E?:?8 4@249 y@? r@@A6C D2:5]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! }w{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=k^2mk^Am
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.