The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers haven’t started the season the way they hoped. With a 9-8-1 record, they sit third from the bottom in the Atlantic Division and have struggled to find their rhythm, mainly due to injuries to key players.

Their latest game was a 3–1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, a matchup filled with scrums, penalties, and one central talking point: Sam Bennett’s hit on Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov.

Fans Call Out Panthers’ Sam Bennett for His Hit on the Lightning Star

Early in the first period, right in front of Tampa’s net, Kucherov gave Bennett a shove. Bennett responded with an elbow to Kucherov’s neck, sending him down to the ice. Bennett was handed a two-minute penalty for the play.

Many fans were unhappy with the call and took to social media to voice their frustration, sparking a heated debate.

One fan argued that the league needed to step in, writing, “@NHLPlayerSafety should be a fine at minimum but it’s a headshot and a suspension is warranted. I know Bill Zito is the current love child of Gary now that Bill Foley got his cup. But have some dignity.”

@NHLPlayerSafety should be a fine at minimum but it’s a headshot and a suspension is warranted. I know Bill Zito is the current love child of Gary now that Bill Foley got his cup. But have some dignity.

— Sportsnutz (@Sportsnutz99) November 16, 2025

Another fan took a lighter, sarcastic approach, joking, “No way…he was just making a hockey play,” brushing off the elbow as something that happens in the heat of battle.

A fan questioned Bennett’s reliability in major international tournaments, saying, “This is why he can’t be trusted on an Olympic squad. No room for this BS in the international game.”

Another user pointed out Bennett’s history, saying, “Isn’t it about time that the league sends him a message that they have had enough of his sneaky elbows?,” claiming that almost any other player would get 10+ games for what is likely his sixth offense.

Isn’t it about time that the league sends him a message that they have had enough of his sneaky elbows? Nearly any other player would be facing over ten games for what has to be his sixth offense, at least.

— Mr. Antisocialite (@MAntisocialite) November 16, 2025

Some comments shifted the blame toward Kucherov, suggesting he exaggerated the play to draw a call. One fan wrote, “While bennett should never do it… kucherov didnt waste opportunity to get a pp… world class actor.”

And finally, some fans leaned into sarcasm, poking fun at Bennett’s reputation. One person said, “Wait, what!!!! Sam Bennett elbows someone; that’s hard to believe. He is such a clean player.” The remark highlighted how unsurprised many were to see Bennett involved in another controversial hit.

“I honestly don’t want him on the Olympic team he is a dirty player … ya he can score but he is dirty and can’t back it up,” another fan wrote.

Despite the uproar, Kucherov responded on the ice. Later in the period, he set up Lilleberg for the opening goal, helping Tampa Bay secure a 1–0 lead and eventually the win.

Next up, the Panthers will take on the Canucks on Monday, while the Lightning will face Vancouver a day earlier, on Sunday.