The “Panthers” defeated the Tampa Bay “Lightning” team at home with a score of 6:1 (0:0, 2:1, 4:0), thereby winning the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series up to four with 4-1.
Aleksandrs Barkov and Carter Verhegi stood out for the home team with two goals and an assist, Niko Mikola scored 1+1, and Evan Rodrigues scored another goal. Goalkeeper Sergej Bobrovsky saved 31 of 32 shots.
Viktors Hedmans scored the only goal in “Lightning”.
In the second round of the Stanley Cup, or in the semi-finals of the Eastern Conference, the “Panthers” will meet the Boston “Bruins” or the Toronto “Maple Leafs”. The Bruins currently lead the series 3-1.
Balinskis has not made his playoff debut yet, but in the regular championship, the Latvian defender played 26 games for the Panthers, where he scored one goal, two assists, eight penalty minutes and a neutral efficiency ratio.
In the final series of the previous season, the Vegas “Golden Knights” beat the Florida “Panthers” 4-1, and Latvian forward Teodoras Bļuger became the winner of the Stanley Cup as part of the Vegas team.
