For the Panthers, it was a scenario they couldn’t bear repeating.
And yet, the storyline in the Panthers’ home opener Saturday at BB&T Center was developing along the same unpleasant lines as the one from the night before.
In that one, the Tampa Bay Lightning opened up a quick, two-goal lead before fending off the Panthers for the eventual win. Saturday’s script was a near carbon copy of Friday’s.
Only the ending was different.
Despite allowing two goals within the first five minutes, the Panthers recovered for a 5-4 victory that made good on head coach Bob Boughner’s pledge to make South Florida an unsavory place for opponents.