The "Battle of Florida" preseason game between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, October 4, 2025, has resulted in significant fallout, including NHL disciplinary actions and a disallowed goal. The intense rivalry between the two teams led to a chaotic match filled with penalties, ejections, and questionable plays, drawing the attention of the NHL Department of Player Safety.
The game saw a combined total of 312 penalty minutes and 16 ejections. The animosity that boiled over on Saturday was brewing since the previous preseason game between the teams. The initial incident occurred when Tampa Bay's Scott Sabourin targeted Florida's Aaron Ekblad early in the game. Sabourin received a major penalty for roughing after delivering a blindside hit and throwing punches at Ekblad, who left the game and did not return.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Sabourin will have a hearing for his actions against Ekblad. In addition, J.J. Moser of the Lightning will face a hearing for boarding Florida’s Jesper Boqvist. Boqvist was not injured on the play.
Fines have already been levied against two other Lightning players. Carter Schmidt was fined $2,098.52 for cross-checking Carter Verhaeghe, and Gage Goncalves was fined $3,125.00 for cross-checking Evan Rodrigues. Both fines are the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.
Adding to the night's bizarre events, a goal scored by Jesper Boqvist in the third period was later disallowed. Niko Mikkola, who had been ejected earlier in the period, was mistakenly on the ice and assisted on the play. Officials realized the error and nullified the goal, also assessing a penalty to Florida. The Panthers won the game 7-0. Evan Rodrigues scored a hat trick in the game. Sergei Bobrovsky earned a shutout.
The events of the Panthers-Lightning game underscore the intensity of their rivalry, even in a preseason setting. The frequency of penalties and misconducts highlights the need for player safety and officiating accountability. The NHL's response through supplemental discipline aims to address the incidents and ensure a safer playing environment. The first regular season matchup between the two teams is scheduled for November 15.
