Stanley Cup Playoffs live updates Round 1, Game 3: Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Can the Florida Panthers go up 3-0 in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning?

They’re certainly going to try.

Game 3 of the best-of-7 series is at 7 pm Thursday, with puck drop from Tampa’s Amalie Arena scheduled for 7 pm

Florida won the first two games by identical 3-2 scores — winning Game 1 in regulation and Game 2 in overtime.

This is just the fourth time the Panthers have led a playoff series 2-0. Two of the other three came last season: Their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs that they won in five games and the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes that they won in a four-game sweep. The other was the opening round of the 1996 playoffs against the Boston Bruins, which Florida won in five games.

Follow along for score updates, thoughts, commentary and analysis throughout the game.

Lineups and other early notables

With Ryan Lomberg still out due to illness and Sam Bennett out for at least a week with an apparent hand/wrist injury, the Florida Panthers’ forward lines are changing once again.

Anton Lundell will move up to the second line to center Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Kevin Stenlund as a result will move up to center the third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues on the wings.

Florida’s fourth line will now have Steven Lorentz at center with Kyle Okposo and Nick Cousins ​​on the wings.

For Okposo, who is in his 17th NHL season, this will be his first playoff since May 8, 2016.

“He’ll be fired up,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of Okposo. “Your appreciation for the game grows as you get older. I don’t think most players, as they get older, don’t get more cynical. They appreciate it. He had this smile that I cannot describe. He is very excited about this, he will relish this opportunity. He is a serious pro, a very detailed guy. He will be wired into the game, but he understands that there are not 15 more seasons of playoffs ahead of him, this is something he needs to enjoy.”

Some other quick notables:

▪ Forward Vladimir Tarasenko is playing in his 100th career NHL playoff game.

▪ Lomberg traveled to Tampa Bay and could be available for Game 4 on Saturday.

Pregame reading

Need to catch up ahead of Game 3? Here’s what the Miami Herald published over the past couple of days.

▪ Want a lesson in clutch? Sergei Bobrovsky and Carter Verhaeghe can teach you a thing or two.

▪ Speaking of Bobrovsky, did you see that save in Game 2? (You know the one we’re talking about)

▪ From columnist Greg Cote: Panthers’ 2-0 series lead on Tampa Bay should have the Lightning in panic mode.