Playoff teams beware. The reigning Stanley Cup champions just got even scarier. Matthew Tkachuk is back, and he dialed himself right up to beast mode to help the Florida Panthers win their first game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Back in February, Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off while representing the United States. He hadn’t played since. Tkachuk was a game-time decision for Tuesday night. He wasn’t going to miss it.
Playoff teams should fear Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers after dominant opening game
The Florida Panthers looked like legitimate Cup contenders on Tuesday night. They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in Game 1 of their exciting first round series. The Panthers were dominant throughout the game, especially on the power play. Three of their goals came on the man advantage, with the Panthers converting all three power play chances. The Lightning didn't stand a chance against what the Panthers put up.
Everything clicked for the Panthers. Notably, Nate Schmidt scored two goals, and Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart also scored a goal each. Sergei Bobrovsky only faced 22 shots in the game, a testament to how good the team played in front of him. Aleksander Barkov won 78% of his faceoffs on the night.
But the story of the game was the return of Matthew Tkchuck. It had been two and a half months since Tkachuk last played. He was activated off the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and had no problem fitting back in seamlessly. He had two goals and an assist in the game. All three of his points came on the power play. According to the game’s stat card by Hockey Stat Cards, Tkachuk was the Panthers’ best player of the night, primarily due to his individual offense.
With Tkachuk back, the Panthers gain more physicality and toughness. Tkachuk isn’t afraid to throw his weight around even after returning from injury. In fact, he wasted no time taking a roughing penalty, showing he hasn't changed a bit.
The Lightning will have their opportunities to fight back in the series, but the Panthers are going to be tough to beat. If the Panthers advance, they’re certainly a team for other playoff teams to fear. The Panthers are a nightmare to face in the playoffs, and the return of Tkachuk only reinforces that fact. The Panthers and Lightning play Game 2 on Thursday night.