FORT LAUDERDALE – East versus west. Red versus blue. Cats versus Bolts.
The Sunshine State Showdown has arrived once again.
For the third time in four years the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will battle in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“It's going to be a lot of fun,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said after Friday’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex. “It's going to be a battle. Like all the games against them for many years in the past and this year and training camp games, even those games get very emotional. It's going to be a lot of fun from both sides.”
One of the most anticipated first-round series in this year’s playoffs, the Panthers are coming in with a little extra motivation for their matchup with their longtime cross-state rival.
In 2021, the eventual Stanley Cup champion Lightning got the better of the Panthers in the first round, taking the series 4-2.
Taking the next step a year later in 2022 and winning the President’s Trophy with a franchise-record 122 points (58-18-6), the Panthers were an offensive juggernaut, finishing as the only team in the league to average more than four goals per game that season.
But after beating the Washington Capitals in six games for their first playoff series win since 1996, the top-seeded Panthers fell in four games in the second round to the Lightning.
Learning from these experiences, that high-flying, track-meet style of play of the past is now in the rear-view for the Panthers as the additions of head coach Paul Maurice, superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk and numerous other changes by general manager Bill Zito have ushered in a new era in South Florida.
Last season, these changes led to an Eastern Conference championship and trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Building upon that run, players are confident they can continue building on that foundation.
“We're a completely different team,” said Panthers forward Sam Bennett, who played in both playoff series against the Lightning. “We play a different game. We have different systems. We have a lot of the same guys, but we're a completely different team. You can't really take too much from that series.”
Behind two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky, stalwart backup Anthony Stolarz and a deep blue line, the Panthers allowed just 27.8 shots against and 2.41 goals against per game this season, with both marks standing as the best in franchise history.
These new-look Panthers don’t want to beat you on pure skill and speed.
They just want to beat you.
“Guys change in new systems, new coaches, everything, so we're playing a little different style of game, a more defense-first style of game,” said Barkov. “I think we're built to play those big games, and it's been working for us in the regular season and last year in the playoffs, so we want to keep building and getting better.”
This defensive approach also led to eight shutouts for the Panthers this season, tied for the most in the league. Shutting the door late in games, they also surrendered the fewest third-period goals in the NHL.
In just two years, the Panthers have gone from the 16th-ranked penalty kill to sixth.
But even with their heavier style of play, offense hasn’t been sacrificed.
This season, the Panthers ranked eighth on the power play (23.5%), 11th in goals scored (265), and saw four players (Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Barkov and Tkachuk) all produced at least 70 points.
In a series that could come down to special teams, with Tampa Bay ranking first in power play (28.6%) and fifth in penalty kill (83.3%), the Panthers know that they will have to continue to play their game and make the most out of their opportunities in order to advance.
“We have to be very mindful of staying out of the penalty box,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “They've got the best power play in the league, and they know it, and they work hard to get there. Our penalty kill is the piece of our game that's improved the most over last season, so we're going to need it to be good.”
No matter what happens, the excitement is there, and the Panthers are ready for another battle.
“The excitement goes up for sure,” said Reinhart. “If it doesn't, you're probably in the wrong profession, so we're looking forward to the opportunity and challenge.”
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