“We know it’s going to be a war,” the Florida Panthers’ center Anton Lundell said about the first challenge of the Miami team’s upcoming postseason campaign. For the second straight year, the Cats will take on arch rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But while the Battle of Florida does have its thrill, it might be exactly the thing that’s causing fans from other camps to feel annoyed.

In all the last five years, a team from the Sunshine State has reached the Stanley Cup finals. Naturally, the excitement is high to see if it happens this year as well. And that’s why the Bolts vs. Cats games are covered extensively by all the major networks, including ESPN. However, as the game between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning got delayed today, Minnesota Wild fans weren’t happy at all.

In a post on X from April 22, NHL pundit Braylon Breeze noted how the delay in the puck-drop for the Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning game caused troubles for the Minnesota vs. Vegas Golden Knights broadcast. “Tonight is about to get more frustrating for Minnesota fans with the Florida-Tampa game certainly not being done in time for puck-drop (11:15 p.m. ET) and Ottawa-Toronto heading to overtime,” the social media update stated, while revealing that the Wild’s game could be handed over to ESPN2 even though it was initially planned to be televised via the network’s main channel.

And it wasn’t only the Battle for Florida that caused to disruption. After twenty-one years, the Battle of Ontario is also going to enthrall fans in the postseason. And keeping up with the high stakes, today’s Ottawa vs. Toronto game at the Scotiabank Arena also went into overtime, which the hosts won 3-2, to lead the seven-game series 2-0. Naturally, it seems like amidst these two high-profile games, Minnesota’s clash with Vegas got pushed into the back of the line. However, the official NHL News X account shared optimistic news: “#MNWild–#VegasBorn Puck drop is set for 11:15pm ET Starts on ESPN2 in the US, moving back to ESPN after FLA-TBL,” claiming that the Wild-Knights game will start broadcasting on ESPN’s main channel after the action between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning ends. 

And yet, the Wild fans are equally excited to see how the team fares this year after missing the playoffs last time. But it’s going to be a long night ahead, and the official Minnesota account shared some lucid tips on X on how to keep your eyelids from shutting. The Wild is yet to win its first Stanley Cup, and the team’s loyalists can barely wait to see if this is the much-awaited season when the long wait comes to an end.

However, while experts like The Athletic’s Peter Baugh called it “diabolical” to have Minnesota’s game be scheduled so late in the night, it’s also understandable why the Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay games have so many eyes on them.

Can the Florida Panthers defy the odds?

Being the defending champs, Paul Maurice’s boys have a lot of expectations to deal with. With the Panthers finishing the regular season in third place in the Atlantic Division, behind the Bolts, the fans are also eager to see if they can make the postseason a better campaign. On top of that, Florida’s postseason run received all the more attention with Matthew Tkachuk returning to the roster for the first time since he was injured at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Upon his comeback, Tkachuk showed his worth once again by scoring two goals at the Amalie Arena today. But the thrill doesn’t end there!

In March, former Bruins captain Brad Marchand was traded to the Panthers in an unprecedented move by Boston. With both Tkachuk and Marchand being known for their feisty style of play, fans can barely hold their glee to see the two joining hands against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Naturally, while pundits claim that the Bolts will be the ones to progress to the next round, Panthers fans seem to have blind faith that Maurice’s boys will get the job done, especially with Brad and Matthew among their ranks.

Along with Tkachuk’s brace, Marchand also got his name on the scoresheet against Tampa Bay today, as the Panthers put themselves ahead in the seven-game series by winning today’s game 6-2. But can they keep the ball rolling when they return to the ice on Thursday? What are your predictions about the Florida Panthers being able to defend the Stanley Cup? Tell us!