SUNRISE, Fla. – It’s time for the next big test.
The Florida Panthers will re-ignite their playoff run when they host the Boston Bruins for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday.
The Panthers have had a week to recover and prepare for Round 2 after eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in Round 1, while the Bruins are likely still riding on adrenaline after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of their series on Saturday.
At this point of the playoffs, the Panthers were happy for the breather.
“It feels like we’re just about to start playoffs now,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “That break was really good for us. We’re really refreshed and our mindset is great.”
Facing off in Round 1 just a season ago, the Panthers pulled off one of the greatest upsets in NHL history when they clawed back from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Bruins, who entered the playoffs looking unbeatable after setting NHL records for wins (65) and points (135).
Fueled by that comeback, the Panthers then cruised to the Stanley Cup Final.
Taking the next step together as a team, the Panthers have gone 8-2 at home in the playoffs ever since last year’s win in Game 5 over the Bruins. Following that win, they went on to earn a 7-5 win in Game 6 and a 4-3 win in Game 7 on a social media-shattering overtime goal from Carter Verhaeghe.
Looking back, it’s safe to say they’ve been a different team ever since.
“It all started in Game 5 when we were going to Boston losing 3-1,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “We had a great game plan, how to execute and what to do on the ice and how to play the right way. It all kind of started then. Games 5, 6 and 7 just showed us when we do things the right way and play hard, everything is possible.”
Showing off their depth against the Lightning, 18 different skaters recorded at least one point in Round 1 for the Panthers, who averaged four goals per game in the series. Tkachuk and Verhaeghe led the way with nine points each, with Verhaeghe scoring a team-high five goals.
Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky stood on his head as expected. In addition to boasting a .929 save percentage at 5-on-5 in the series, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner – and a finalist again this season – made 34 high-danger saves, including “The Bobbery” in Game 2.
As expected, Bobrovsky will get the nod in tonight’s Game 1.
In terms of lineup changes, the Panthers will have none.
That means the same lines that finished Game 5 against the Lightning will be the ones they roll out in Game 1 against the Bruins. With that, the potent top line of Verhaeghe, Barkov and Tkachuk — three of the team’s top-four scorers from the regular season — will stick.
“We’ll run it here and see,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said.
Nearly suffering the same fate they did last season, the Bruins narrowly avoided letting another 3-1 series lead slip through their fingers against the Maple Leafs. After Toronto secured a pair of 2-1 wins in Games 5 and 6, the Bruins found a way to win in Game 7.
Averting disaster, David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal in overtime for Boston.
With the Bruins holding just four total goals over the final three games of the series, Jeremy Swayman provided most of the heroics against the Maple Leafs. Appearing in six games in the series, the 25-year-old goaltender stopped 172 of 181 shots for a .950 save percentage.
As of right now, it’s unclear if Boston will continue with Swayman or go back to Linus Ullmark, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner.
“Both elite goalies, both had incredible years,” Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues said. “It’s not like Linus didn’t play well in Game 2, Swayman’s just been hot. Whoever they go with, it’s going to be huge to get in front of them and take their eyesight away.”
Up front, Brad Marchand led Boston in scoring against the Maple Leafs with eight points (three goals, five assists). That being said, he was held without a point in Games 5, 6 and 7. Tied for second on the team, Jake DeBrusk and Pastrnak each accumulated five points.
Although they were outscored 11-10 at 5-on-5 in Round 1, the Bruins found success on both sides of special teams, finishing at 35.3% on the power play and 95.2% on the penalty kill against Toronto. Having a stronger showing a 5-on-5 in their series, the Panthers led Tampa Bay 11-7 in goals.
Overall, the Panthers don’t expect a single inch of ice to come easy against Boston.
“This is going to be really close, hotly contested,” Maurice said. “It’ll be very physical, very fast, but I think what might be different is that it’ll be very disciplined. Maybe last year each team was trying to mark their territory early. Every check got finished. That Game 1 [last year] was as heavy a game as I can remember. Both teams know they can [do that] now.”
PANTHERS PLAYOFF LEADERS
Goals: Verhaeghe (5)
Assists: Tkachuk (6)
Point: Tkachuk, Verhaeghe (9)
Hit: Rodrigues, Ekblad (23)
Blocks: Montour (12)
BRUINS PLAYOFF LEADER
Goals: Frederic, DeBrusk, Pastrnak, Marchand (3)
Assists: Marchand (5)
Point: Marchand (8)
Hit: McAvoy (32)
Blocks: McAvoy (19)
THEY SAID IT
“We have to be ready from puck drop. They’ve obviously been playing for a week, so we have to be able to get up to speed, match their intensity and try to take it to them right from the first shift of the game.” – Evan Rodrigues
“A really good team over there. I think you could look back at whoever won that series, we have history with both of them. Regardless of who it is, it’s a heck of a team. They’ve played hockey and we’ve had a week off. We need to get the pace up as quickly as we can.” – Brandon Montour
“We have the same mindset as last year. We want to out-compete every team we play. It doesn’t matter who we play. We want to be at our best every game. It’s not our decision to decide who’s the favorite and who’s not.” – Alexander Barkov
FIVE CATS STATS
– The Panthers rank first in the NHL with a 61.11 GF% at 5-on-5 in the playoffs.
– Kevin Stenlund won 56.4% of his faceoffs in Round 1.
– Matthew Tkachuk enters Round 2 riding a five-game point streak.
– Carter Verhaeghe scored four goals in three home games in Round 1.
– Sergei Bobrovsky surrendered just three even-strength goals at home in Round 1.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forward
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodrigues – Kevin Stenlund – Vladimir Tarasenko
Nick Cousins – Steven Lorentz – Kyle Okposo
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov
Goaltender
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
– May 5: F Rasmus Asplund, Will Lockwood, Mackie Samoskevich and Justin Sourdif, D Mike Benning and Matt Kiersted, and G Magnus Hellberg recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
– May 3: G Spencer Knight recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Monday, May 6 at 8 pm ET
Where: Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, FL
TV & Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); 101.7 WCZR (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM Ch. 91 / App & Streaming 932; Panthers App
Tickets: **Click Here**
