The Florida Panthers began their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a dominant fashion. They took them down 6-2 to win Game 1 of the series. In their last playoff meeting, the Panthers won the series by a score of 4-1. However, the Lightning hold the all-time playoff record as they’ve won two of the three meetings. Entering Amalie Arena is not an easy task, especially considering Florida was going to be shorthanded. But they managed to take back home ice in this crucial first round series. Aaron Ekblad Will Not Be Ready Until Game 3 A couple of months ago, defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended for 20 games after violating the NHL/NHLPA policy on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). “Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel,” Ekblad said. “I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates.” Aaron Ekblad on his positive test and suspension He will not be eligible to return to the Panthers’ lineup until Game 3 of this series, as he missed the final 18 games of the regular season. Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers) The anticipated return of Ekblad with at least a game taken in Tampa will act like an energy drink for the team after feeling winded. Panthers Have a Fantastic Record at Home The Panthers have a fantastic record at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. They went 27-12-2, which tied for the second-best amount of regular-season home wins in franchise history. Additionally, they’ve won five of their last seven games at home against Tampa. Related: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Predictions With this Game 1 victory and the chance to win Game 2, they have the chance to take a stranglehold of this first-round series and put their foot down. Panthers’ Record in the Playoffs on the Road Over the Last 2 Seasons Shows They Can Get it Done Over the last four seasons, the Panthers have only had to start their postseason journey on the road once, that being in 2023. But that just fueled their desire to win. In their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, they managed to climb back after being down 3-1 in the series. Two of their biggest wins in that series were in Boston, including a Game 7 overtime victory. Against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they won three of the four games played at Scotiabank Arena, including the series clincher in Game 5. Related: Panthers Starting the Playoffs on the Road Isn’t the Worst Thing Last playoffs were not so different. Of the 16 wins the team claimed to become Stanley Cup champions, seven of those were on the road. One of those was a road game against the Bolts, being Game 3 of the first round, where they won 5-3. Furthermore, the Panthers clinched their second-straight series win against the Bruins in a Game 6 victory in the second round at TD Garden. In Game 1, they showed their fangs yet again. Mission Accomplished The Panthers have the strength, skill, and willpower to win even if they play slightly underhanded for a period of time. With their Game 1 victory, coming back home with some momentum will be crucial to winning the series. But this Tampa team is no pushover. They have some serious weapons that can lead them on a deep run. This includes Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov and former Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. But that hasn’t stopped them before. As previously mentioned, they have beaten them in a postseason series before. Also, the last three Battle of Florida playoff series winners have gone on to reach the Stanley Cup Final at the very least. With history noted, the Panthers are looking to repeat it once more.