With a raucous crowd and optimism abound, the Tampa Bay Lightning finally opened their Eastern Conference first-round series with the rival Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, only to drop a deflating 6-2 decision to the defending Stanley Cup champions.

And by the midway point, the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers had run away with Game 1. The Lightning allowed five goals on Florida’s first 11 shots, sucking the energy out of the building and losing the home-ice advantage Tampa Bay had worked for in an eventual 6-2 loss.

It was only Game 1, but it was a tough night for the Tampa Bay Lightning. A 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in their playoff opener inside a packed out Amalie Arena — and just like that, the home-ice advantage they fought so hard to get is gone.