Lightning 4, Panthers 0
Captain Steven Stamkos scored twice to snap a seven-game drought and added an assist as visiting Tampa Bay rolled over Florida.
Ben Bishop turned aside 34 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and eclipsed his own team record with his career-best 38th victory. Ryan Callahan and Tyler Johnson each contributed a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who clinched home ice for the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs while tying Montreal for first place in the Atlantic Division.
Roberto Luongo made 18 saves for the Panthers, who were eliminated from playoff contention after only their third regulation loss in nine games. Florida went 0-for-4 on the power play, including a brief two-man advantage in the third period, while losing to Tampa Bay for the seventh time in eight meetings.
Bishop stopped seven shots in the opening 20 minutes and 15 more in the second period, including a big toe stop on Tomas Kopecky, while the Lightning gave him a 2-0 lead. Stamkos one-timed Johnson's cross-ice pass past Luongo from the top of the left faceoff circle during a power play 6:10 into the middle session to open the scoring.
Stamkos doubled the advantage with 8:41 left in the period with a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Luongo high to the glove side. Tampa Bay gave itself more cushion as Callahan snapped a shot into the net from the right circle 63 seconds into the third and Johnson tallied with 1:47 left as Bishop finished off his 12th career shutout.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Stamkos has recorded 25 goals in 35 career games against the Panthers. … Tampa Bay LW Alex Killorn sat out with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day, while Johnson returned after missing the previous three games with an upper-body injury. … All 18 Florida skaters registered at least one shot on goal, with RW Jaromir Jagr and D Willie Mitchell recording five apiece. ... The Lightning have scored a power-play goal in four straight games.