Panthers ride potent offense to clinch playoff berth

The Florida Panthers became the first team to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

The Panthers (48-15-6) have already won the most games in their history and are one point shy of their record (103) they set in 2015-16, when they finished first in the Atlantic Division but lost to the New York Islanders in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round.
This is the third straight season Florida has qualified for the postseason after making it twice in its previous 18. The Panthers have not made it past the first round since 1995-96, when they advanced to the Cup Final in their first playoff appearance before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
Jonathan Huberdeau has 97 points (24 goals, 73 assists) in 69 games, breaking the Panthers record previously held by Aleksander Barkov (96 in 2018-19). Barkov, Florida's captain, has 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) in 56 games. Sam Reinhart has found his niche with the Panthers after being acquired in a trade with the Sabres last offseason, tying his NHL career high with 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists).
Aaron Ekblad has 57 points (15 goals, 42 assists) in 61 games, but the defenseman is week to week with a lower-body injury sustained in a 3-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on March 18. Getting Ekblad back for the playoffs will be critical for the Panthers, who were without him last postseason because of a broken leg and lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
The Panthers got stronger before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring forward Claude Giroux from the Philadelphia Flyers, defenseman Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens and defenseman Robert Hagg from the Sabres.
Here's a look at the Panthers' path to a playoff berth:
Most Valuable Player: Huberdeau's 30 power-play points leads the Panthers. The forward is averaging 1.41 points per game, third in the NHL behind Connor McDavid (1.52) and Leon Draisaitl (1.44) of the Edmonton Oilers.
Unsung Hero:Anthony Duclair is having his best NHL season. The 26-year-old right wing has NHL career highs in points (52) and goals (28). He's also third on the Panthers with eight power-play goals.
Memorable Moment:A 9-3 win against the Lightning on Dec. 30. The Panthers scored the second-most goals in their history (they defeated the Boston Bruins 10-5 on Nov. 26, 1997) against their main rival and the team that knocked them out of the 2021 playoffs. Huberdeau had a five-point game (one goal, four assists) for the fourth time in his NHL career, and the Panthers showed what their record-setting offense was capable of against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.

Key Number:284, a Panthers record for goals. They've scored 4.12 goals per game, each first in the NHL.
Question Mark: Goaltending. Although the Panthers used three goalies (Sergei Bobrovsky, Spencer Knight and Chris Driedger) last postseason, general manager Bill Zito said he was comfortable with Bobrovsky and Knight this season. Bobrovsky is 33-6-3 with a 2.64 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and three shutouts in 45 games. Knight is 15-8-3 with a 2.90 GAA, .904 save percentage and one shutout in 27 games (23 starts).
Reason Panthers Can Win It All: They have done well in a very competitive Eastern Conference and lead the Atlantic Division by nine points over the Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Panthers are 20-9-6 on the road, including 4-2-1 on a seven-game road trip from March 13-27. They've also scored at least six goals in 14 games this season.