Barkov, Panthers aim to be better, smarter in Game 2 against Lightning
Center held without point; Tampa Bay scored three power-play goals in Eastern Second Round opener
Barkov and the Florida Panthers have their hands full against the Lightning's bevy of skilled offensive players in the best-of-7 series, which they will try to tie in Game 2 at FLA Live Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"You've got to know who you are against on the ice," Barkov, the Panthers captain, said Wednesday. "Of course, they have special players, and you have to be careful with them and you have to know where they are and what they're going to do. So just be ready every time you step on the ice."
A 4-1 loss in Game 1 on Tuesday provided a reminder of that. Despite being without forward Brayden Point because of a lower-body injury, the Lightning overcame falling behind 1-0 late the first period by scoring four consecutive goals, including three on the power play. Nikita Kucherov and Corey Perry led the way with a goal and an assist each.
"We're just thinking about the next game now and we did a lot of the good things, learn from the bad things and move forward," Barkov said. "You have to win four games in this series and now it's Game 2. We've got to be a little better than we were last game, a little smarter and work a little harder."
RELATED: [Complete Panthers vs. Lightning series coverage]
One of the best two-way centers in the NHL, Barkov prides himself on working as hard in the defensive zone as he does in the offensive zone. That was recognized again Tuesday when he was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy, given annually to the forward voted best to excel in the defensive aspects of the game, along with Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Elias Lindholm of the Calgary Flames.
After winning the award for the first time last season, Barkov is seeking to become the first repeat winner since Bergeron in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
"He's just an elite two-way guy," Lightning forward Steven Stamkos said. "You've got combination of the size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and the skill and the smarts. That's extremely tough to defend. That's why he's going to be up for a lot of awards in his career and why he has been already so far."
Panthers coach Andrew Brunette relied heavily on Barkov in Game 1, playing him 23:05, which was most among forwards on either team. Barkov led Florida with five shots on goal and won 14 of 21 face-offs but was held without a point for the first time in four games.
Barkov scored an NHL career-high 39 goals in 67 regular-season games, and his 88 points (49 assists) were his second most in the League after he had 96 (35 goals, 61 assists) in 82 games in 2018-19. He got off to a slow start in the first round against the Washington Capitals before gradually finding his offensive game and is third on the Panthers with six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games.
"I think he does everything so well for us," Brunette said. "There's a reason why he's one of the best players in the League and a Selke winner. A little bit nervous, I thought, with him early in the playoffs. Maybe not quite himself. And I thought he got more comfortable as it went on and I think his play has improved every game."
Getting past the Capitals in the first round was a big step for Barkov and the Panthers. He had never won a playoff series in the NHL, and Florida hadn't won a playoff series since reaching the 1996 Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.
So the series-ending 4-3 overtime win against Washington in Game 6 brought a sense of relief for Barkov, but not satisfaction.
"There's been a lot of talk about this and not winning any rounds, getting knocked out in the first round and stuff like that," Barkov said. "Of course, you don't think about that, but it's there. It's not there anymore, so we're happy about that and happy to be a part of it. But there's still a long way to go to the point where we actually want to be."
The Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup the past two seasons, are a formidable obstacle. The Panthers learned that last season when it lost to Tampa Bay in six games in the first round.
For a better outcome in this series, they must learn quickly from their mistakes in Game 1, beginning with being more disciplined. Florida controlled play with a 24-21 advantage in 5-on-5 shots on goal but was shorthanded six times, and Tampa Bay took advantage.
"I think it's all about us, how we play and how we manage the different situations in a game," Barkov said. "We know their power play is good. We've got to stay out of the box and those type of things. We have a lot of things we need to get better at, and we know we need to get better at those and we'll work on them. So we're going to keep getting better and keep building."
