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Panthers face must-win games vs. Senators, Bruins

Sunday, 03.29.2015 / 12:43 AM / Expert Picks

By Arpon Basu - Managing Editor LNH.com

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Panthers face must-win games vs. Senators, Bruins
The Florida Panthers are in a heated battle with the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

MONTREAL – The Florida Panthers have not played a game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since losing Game 7 of the first round to the New Jersey Devils in 2012.

The game Sunday at the Ottawa Senators (5 p.m. ET; FS-F, RDS, TSN5) will be as close to one as Florida has played in three years, followed by a visit to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

The Panthers enter the game in Ottawa three points behind the Senators, who are one point behind the Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Florida lost 3-2 in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday but got some unexpected help from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who rallied to defeat the Senators 4-3 in overtime at home. The Bruins defeated the New York Rangers 4-2 earlier in the day.

The Panthers entered Saturday three points out of a playoff spot and ended it four points back. They can't afford to give up any more ground with seven games left to play, and they know that has to start Sunday.

"It's our season," Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell said following the overtime loss in Montreal. "Obviously [Saturday] doesn't help by not getting two points. We realize that. But we've got Ottawa, Boston coming up. They're must-win games. We need to take it as a playoff series and we have to win the next two. It's do or die for us."

Florida has gone 8-4-2 in its past 14 games, a stretch that began when forward Jaromir Jagr entered the lineup Feb. 28 after he was acquired from the Devils two days earlier. But since that date, the Panthers lost six points to the Senators in the standings and they haven't gained ground on the Bruins.

Now the Panthers have a chance to make sure those teams stay where they are while they attempt to climb.

"It's a great opportunity for us," forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. "We have to beat those teams so they don't pick up points. It's an opportunity we need to take."

Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said after the game in Montreal that he expects to start goaltender Roberto Luongo against the Senators a day after he made 22 saves against the Canadiens. It would be Luongo's first action on consecutive days all season, but if there was ever a time to play that card, it would be now.

The Panthers' chances of passing the Senators and Bruins remain slim, even if they win these two games. But if they need inspiration to make them believe it can be done, they need only look at their opponent Sunday.

"Let's face it, I don't think there were too many teams a month and a half ago that had Ottawa being in the position they are in today. There's not one person that would say that," Gallant said. "They went on a run, they got real hot and they played real well and they got some confidence. That's what happens, you win four or five in a row and all of a sudden you say, 'Hey, we're right back in it.' They've played real well."

That's what the Panthers need to do starting Sunday.

But Florida captain Willie Mitchell disagrees with the notion the Panthers can draw inspiration from what the Senators have done because it will distract them from the task immediately in front of them, which is to defeat the Senators in one game and not try to duplicate what they have done over the past five weeks.

"If you're looking at the destination you'll never get there," Mitchell said. "You've got to worry about what you're doing to get to the destination. So if you're looking that far ahead that means you're not expending all your energy in the right place, which is today."

Mitchell went through a somewhat similar experience with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012, when they went 12-4-3 down the stretch to grab the final playoff spot in the Western Conference before going on to win their first Stanley Cup.

On a team with so much youth, Mitchell believes the Panthers' current situation will be a valuable learning experience, whether or not they reach that final destination they are not supposed to be looking at. He said it will drive home the importance of every game all season, pointing to a 2-1 loss on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets as two points the Panthers should have had, and that they desperately need now.

But those lessons will only be fully absorbed in the offseason. For now there are more pressing matters at hand.

"Points are so hard to get at this time of the year. You learn that lesson by not making [the playoffs], but we're trying to fast track that here and make it," Mitchell said. "This is huge for the young players, huge for older players too who have not been in situations like this in more of a leadership capacity. I think on all fronts it's a great learning experience and we're just trying to make the best of it."

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