TAMPA – The Florida Panthers will try to finish off a stunning sweep of the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning when they hit the ice for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Amalie Arena on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to come in and play our game no differently than we always do,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said on Friday. “We don’t expect an easy game tomorrow. It’s just going to be the same difficulty level it has been this entire series."
After earning a pair of 3-2 wins in Games 1 and 2 on home ice, the Panthers kept on rolling during their first road game of this year’s playoffs. Led by strong penalty killing and a gritty display from their fourth line, they pushed Tampa Bay to the brink with a 5-3 win in Game 3.
Falling behind 2-1 in the second period during a fervent attack from the Lightning – a sequence that could’ve been worse if not for a few clutch saves from Sergei Bobrovsky – the Panthers got momentum back and pulled even when Sam Reinhart’s snipe made it 2-2.
With the fourth line not letting the Lightning exit their own zone, the Panthers regained the lead when Steven Lorentz teed up Brandon Montour for a one-timer from the point to make it 3-2. In the third period, Lorentz beat Andrei Vasilevskiy from the slot to increase the lead to 4-2.
The goal was the first of Lorentz’s playoff career.
“That was always the dream,” Lorentz said of scoring what held up as the game-winning goal. “I never doubted myself for a second. I always knew I was a late bloomer and would take the longer, harder road than other guys. I believed in myself and put the work in each day, and here we are. It’s nice to see it pay off, but at the same time the job’s not finished.”
After Nick Paul beat Sergei Bobrovsky to cut Tampa Bay’s deficit to 4-3 with 5:10 left in regulation, Matthew Tkachuk cashed in on the empty net soon after to lock in the 5-3 win for the Panthers with his third goal of the postseason.
Now just one more win stands between the Panthers and a third straight trip to Round 2.
“I think it’s been a close series so far in the first three games," said Tkachuk, who’s made a dent on the scoresheet in every game of the series. “We’ve been getting some unbelievable goaltending that’s helped us weather the storm. That’s been the biggest key for us.”
No lies detected.
With both goaltenders on top of their game, there’s been a little more weight to each goal scored in the series. Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Bobrovsky has made 18 high-danger saves, while Vasilevskiy ranks first in the playoffs with a whopping 33 high-danger stops.
Both goaltenders also have 1.6 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck.com.
Always a tough out, Vasilevskiy boasts a career .926 save percentage in potential elimination games.
In front of Bobrovsky, the Panthers have also benefited from some outstanding work on the penalty kill. Killing off 10 of 12 opposing power plays -- including a 4-for-4 performance in Game 3 -- they’ve managed to stifle Tampa bay’s top-ranked power play with great pressure.
After finishing the season at 28.6%, the Lightning’s power play is operating at 16.7% in the playoffs.
“It’s predicated on pressure,” Ekblad said of the PK. “That’s obvious when you watch it. It’s been a key part to this series, and obviously last night. It’s definitely improved since last year.”
With Sam Bennett (upper body) and Ryan Lomberg (illness) both still unavailable, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said on Friday that no lineup changes were expected for Game 4.
A much deeper team than they were during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, 14 different skaters have registered at least one point for the Panthers in the series. Further proving that point, the fourth line combined for one goal and three assists in Game 3.
“Depth is so important in the playoffs, and we proved last night we have that depth,” Ekblad said.
For the Lightning, no lineup information is expected to come until closer to puck drop.
Even with brooms in hand, the Panthers know they can’t get ahead of themselves.
“I don’t think the hockey necessarily changes, but your perception of it does,” Maurice said of mindset going into an elimination game. “There’s more intensity, right? There’s more on the line. There’s desire, which is sometimes a dangerous thing for the team that’s got the three [wins] that’s closing out, and then there’s in this situation the desperation of the other team. I don’t think the hockey changes other than those two things can play into the game.”
CATS PLAYOFF LEADERS
Goals: Tkachuk (3)
Assists: Forsling, Verhaeghe (3)
Points: Tkachuk, Verhaeghe (5)
Hits: Rodrigues (15)
Blocks: Ekblad (7)
BOLTS PLAYOFF LEADERS
Goals: Stamkos (3)
Assists: Kucherov, Hedman (3)
Points: Stamkos (4)
Hits: Dumba (16)
Blocks: Cernak, Raddysh (6)
THEY SAID IT
“The video that we go through is extremely detailed. Because it was such a point of importance, it’s been a point of emphasis for us to be extremely detailed in it.” – Aaron Ekblad on finding success on the penalty kill
“He fully understands how much fun it is at this time of year and what it means to be playing. That’s what you play for as a hockey player. We were thrilled to see him come in and [it was] no shock to see him contribute.” – Sam Reinhart on Kyle Okposo
“It’s just fun to have that feeling again. The postseason is extremely special. You don’t know how good something is until it’s gone. You’re not in it for eight years, you’re just sitting there watching and you’re yearning to get that feeling again.” – Kyle Okposo on being back in the playoffs
FIVE CATS STATS
- Matthew Tkachuk has tallied multiple points in two of three games in the series.
- Carter Verhaeghe produced multiple points in Games 3 and 4.
- Anton Lundell is winning 59.5% of his faceoffs in the series.
- Aaron Ekblad leads the Panthers with 12:17 of shorthanded ice time in the series.
- The Panthers have won nine straight road playoff games against the Eastern Conference.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Vladimir Tarasenko – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Anton Lundell – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Kevin Stenlund – Evan Rodrigues
Nick Cousins – Steven Lorentz – Kyle Okposo
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- April 12: F Wilmer Skoog signed to a one-year, two-way contract commencing in 2024-25
- April 12: F Oliver Okuliar signed to a one-year ELC commencing in 2024-25
- April 10: D Mikulas Hovorka signed to a two-year ELC commencing in 2024-25
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m. ET
Where: Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL
TV & Streaming: TBS, MAX, Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports+
Radio: 790 WAXY (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); 101.7 WCZR (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932; Panthers App
Watch Party: Bounce Delray Beach
