“Dynasty Is Over”: Tampa Bay Community Lose Hope in Jon Cooper & Co After Game 4 Loss to Florida Panthers

It was all going so well for the Tampa Bay Lightning. After losing the first two games in the series, including a shutout loss in the second, Lightning struck in Shunshine, Florida. The Blue Brigade gave the Panthers a taste of their own medicine, winning the third game 5-1. And tonight they carried that spirit in Game 4. Despite the Panthers drawing first blood, the Lightning struck twice in 11 seconds.

Yes! That’s how long it took for Tampa to score two back-to-back goals and take the lead in the second period. The stunning response didn’t just silence the home crowd but also frustrated the defending champions, who started committing reckless fouls. In fact, Niko Mikkola’s boarding of Zemgus Girgensons got him ejected from the game. Yet, despite Tampa’s success, the Panthers would have the last laugh when the final buzzer rang.

That’s because the Panthers played tit-for-tat in the third period, quite literally matching Tampa Bay’s second-period scoring spree. “PANTHERS SCORE TWICE IN 11 SECONDS! FLORIDA TAKES THE LEAD LATE IN THE THIRD,” Sportsnet posted on X. And that lead would only get extended when Carter Verhaeghe put the match away with an empty netter. Needless to say, the Lightning fans were fuming.

“I think it’s safe to say the Tampa Bay Lightning dynasty is over,” commented one frustrated fan. The hockey enthusiast immediately blamed Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who nearly stopped both goals. “Vasy is washed. 2nd goal: bad rebound. 3rd goal hits him and goes in,” added the fan.

Final. #TBLvsFLA pic.twitter.com/gpwT4YBr4n

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 29, 2025

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