SUNRISE, Fla. – It all has to start with just one win.
Trailing 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Second Round, the Florida Panthers will look to get back on track in Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday.
“Every game is a big one, for sure,” captain Aleksander Barkov said. “I know we didn’t get the job done in Toronto. We had some good moments in the games, but we also had bad moments. We’ll learn from those. Now, we have a great opportunity and challenge to be on home ice and be a little better than we were in Toronto. We’re really looking forward to it.”
After nearly pulling off an epic comeback in Game 1, the Panthers suffered a second straight one-goal defeat in Game 2, falling by a final score of 4-3 at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.
Barkov, Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell each lit the lamp in defeat, while Max Pacioretty, William Nylander, Max Domi and Mitch Marner touched twine for Toronto.
Just 17 seconds after Lundell made it 3-3 in the third period, Marner quickly put Toronto back up 4-3.
Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 16 of 20 shots for the Panthers, while Joseph Woll, who got the nod for the Maple Leafs after Anthony Stolarz was injured in Game 1, stopped 25 of 28 shots.
Held back by a few costly mistakes, the Panthers played well enough to win Game 2, leading 31-11 in scoring chances and 15-6 in high-danger shot attempts at 5-on-5.
If they can replicate that effort and clean a few things up, they’ll be in a good spot for Game 3.
“We just have to be a little better in every part of our game,” Barkov said.
In terms of offense, the third line continues to do the heavy lifting for the Panthers.
Through the first two games of the series, Marchand, Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen have combined for nine points (three goals, six assists). When they’ve been on the ice at 5-on-5, the Panthers have led 28-14 in shot attempts and earned a 79.43% share of expected goals, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
Since the start of the playoffs, the line is a combined +23.
For the Maple Leafs, the duo of Nylander and Pacioretty has been getting it done.
Through two games, they’ve combined for eight points (four goal, four assists).
“He’s been great,” defenseman Gustav Forsling said of Nylander, a fellow Swede. “He’s obviously good with the puck. We want to shut him down as much as possible and take away time and space out there for him.”
On special teams, the Panthers currently have the edge, cashing in on 40% of their power plays while also converting on 87.5% of their penalty kills. That being said, they’d like to spend less time in the box as the Maple Leafs have eight power plays through two games.
“We play hard,” Barkov said. “We play aggressive. We’re going to have to kill some penalties, but I think overall we just need to be a little more disciplined and play with the same aggressiveness, but also be smart."
In order to have success, the Panthers will also have to get through Toronto’s blockade.
Stacking bodies in front of their net, the Maple Leafs have blocked 49 shots in the series.
In Round 1, the Panthers had just 71 of their shots blocked over five games.
“They’re doing a really good job with that, defending us and blocking a lot of shots,” Barkov said. “We just have to find a way. Sometimes, maybe not shoot at them, like go around them or put the puck back deep behind the net and go from there. Just find ways.”
Despite being down 2-0 in the series, the Panthers are ready to embrace the pressure.
“Whether you’re up two or down two in a game, let alone a series, the game still has to be played and has to be played intelligently at a high level,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “As pressure mounts, whether a team is trying to close out or a team is trying to claw back, you just want to make sure you’re not trying to hit a home run every time you touch the puck.”
With a few players dealing with injuries, Maurice noted there could be some game-time decisions when it comes to Florida’s lineup for Game 3, so stay tuned for more information following warm-ups.
THEY SAID IT
“He’s always been very skilled and talented. Elite goal scorer and playmaker. Yeah, he’s one of those guys you have to be aware of when he’s on the ice all the time. He can create something out of nothing.” – Aleksander Barkov on William Nylander
“We’re excited for the challenge. Coming back home in front of our own fans, we’re really excited to get going tonight and get back to our game.” – Gustav Forsling on Game 3
“You want to win every game you get a chance, and tonight’s a great chance to win another game.” – Eetu Luostarinen on Game 3
FIVE CATS STATS
- The Panthers are 3-1 in this year’s playoffs when Sam Bennett scores.
- Brad Marchand has tallied six points (1G, 5A) during his four-game point streak.
- Eetu Luostarinen has posted eight points (2G, 6A) during his four-game point streak.
- Anton Lundell has scored three goals in his last four games.
- The Panthers rank first in the playoffs with 43.86 hits per contest.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Check back closer to puck drop.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- April 25: F Jesse Puljujarvi assigned to Charlotte (AHL)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, FL
TV & Streaming: TNT, truTV, Max, SN, CBC, TVAS
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR-FM (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); Panthers App; SiriusXM Channel 91 / App & Streaming 931
Tickets: Click Here
