SUNRISE, Fla. - Now we play for points.

Closing out the preseason with a win, the Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-0 on Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena.

"It's good,” forward Evan Rodrigues said on getting to the regular season after the game. “We can play some real hockey now and start the real thing."

Not a typical preseason game, after 186 combined penalty minutes on Thursday between the two cross-state rivals, Saturday’s tilt saw 312 penalty minutes.

In the first period, four players received game-misconducts, one resulting in defenseman Aaron Ekblad leaving the game and not returning.

After the game, head coach Paul Maurice said the blueliner would be evaluated on Sunday.

Getting the Panthers on the board, as a result of the penalties, forward Mackie Samo

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