5 Takeaways: Knight Stellar in Playoff Debut as Panthers Force Game 6

SUNRISE, Fla. -This was one for the history books.
After giving up a goal on the first shot he faced in his NHL playoffs debut, rookie goaltender Spencer Knight went on to make 36 straight saves to help the Panthers stave off elimination with a 4-1 win over the Lightning in Game 6 of their first-round series at BB&T Center on Monday.

In addition to picking up the critical win, Knight, who only turned 20 just over a month ago, also became not only the second-youngest goaltender in NHL history to win his playoffs debut, but also the youngest goaltender to ever make their NHL playoffs debut in an elimination game.
"He was great," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. "That was a goalie win."
With his father in the stands cheering him on (his mother had to work and his sisters are in school), the even-keeled netminder treated the do-or-die game just like it was any other start.
"Honestly, when the game was over it was pretty cool," said Knight, who was named first star of the game. "To me, I have the same satisfaction of winning a playoff game as a regular-season game. It's not about what moment you're in. It's about the accomplishment you had as a team."
Showing composure well beyond his years, Knight found himself behind the eight ball early.
Testing the young goaltender right out of the gate, the Lightning managed to score on their first shot of the game when Ross Colton finished off a 2-on-1 break with Blake Coleman to put the Panthers in a difficult 1-0 hole just 53 seconds after the puck had dropped in the opening period.
Little did the Bolts know, that would end up being their lone goal of the game.
"Once one went in you just kind of reset and go, 'Well, this is how it's going to go. You can't do anything to change it. Let's play now,'" Knight said of Tampa Bay's goal. "That's how it was."
With Knight defending his keep, the Panthers were finally able to provide some goal support in the second period when, following a crucial faceoff win by Sam Bennett in the offensive zone, MacKenzie Weegar beat Andrei Vasilevskiy with a shot from the point to make it 1-1 at 6:19.
Later in the period, the Panthers then took their first lead thanks to some magic from their captain. Drawing the attention of multiple defenders behind Tampa Bay's net, Aleksander Barkov threaded a pass to Mason Marchment for a clutch one-timer to make it 2-1 at 16:55.
With 1:36 left in the period, Knight then stuffed a shot from the doorstep to keep the lead intact.
"He's a special kid," Barkov said of Knight. "You don't see that often. He's so young and confident. Technically, he's really good. I could be here until tomorrow if you want me to say everything about Spencer. He's just great."
Giving their rookie goaltender some breathing room, the Panthers then continued their strong play with the man advantage when a shot from Barkov caught just a piece of Patric Hornqvist on top of the crease before flying into the cage to make it 3-1 just 35 seconds into the third period.
With Knight continuing to make big saves from that point on, Frank Vatrano then eventually iced the game when he cashed in on an empty net with 15 seconds left in regulation to lock in the 4-1 win. Trailing 3-2 in the series, the Panthers will now attempt to pull even with the Lightning when the action shifts across the state to Amalie Arena for a must-win Game 6 on Wednesday.
If everything goes according to plan, the Panthers will be back in Sunrise for Game 7 on Friday.
"It's just one game at a time here," Weegar said. "We're going into another tough building. They play well at home. We've got to keep the momentum on our side here and play our best game."
Here are five takeaways from Monday's win in Sunrise…

1. HERE COMES THE KNIGHT TIME

I think we can all agree that Knight has ice in his veins.
After surrendering a goal on the first shot he faced in his NHL playoff debut (albeit a 2-on-1 rush likely no goaltender would've stopped), the cool, calm and collected goaltender went on to deny the next 36 shots that came anywhere near his crease, including 21 in the opening period alone.
"I'm not really thinking much about the score, what I've given up and what's coming at me," Knight said. "I just kind of react. I just remember that I'm playing hockey. I do it every day, regardless if it's practice of playoff games or regular season. For me, it's just hockey. I just want to approach it the same and just have fun. Don't think about the result, right? Detach from it and have fun in the moment."

Showing off his exceptional post-to-post reads early on, Knight's two biggest stops likely came late in the first period when he denied shots from both Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on the power play, which was operating at nearly 50% in the series entering tonight's key matchup.
According to NaturalStatTrick.com, Knight stopped 11 of the 12 high-danger shots he faced.
"He was a rock back there," Weegar said. "Like I said to you guys a couple days ago, we were excited to play in front of him. He's got that calm demeanor to him. I think he just went out there and had fun. He enjoyed the crowd and he brought momentum to our team."
When asked about Knights big night (no pun intended), Quenneville said the rookie's track record both in college and on the international stage gave him plenty of confidence going in.
The No. 13 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Knight went a perfect 4-0-0 with a 2.32 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in four appearances (three starts) during the regular season. Prior to turning pro in March, he also posted a 16-4-1 record with a 2.18 goals-against average and .932 save percentage as a sophomore during his final season suiting up at Boston College.
Making headlines throughout the hockey world back in January, he also backstopped USA to a 2-0 victory over Canada in the gold-medal game at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.
"His whole career coming up to joining us this year gave you every indication that he's capable of doing it," Quenneville said. "Now, it was just an opportunity. When he did play for us right off the bat, his composure gave you every indication that he's capable of handling any kind of situation."

2. WEEGAR GETS HIS FIRST

Weegar's first-career playoff goal was a big one.
Pouncing on the puck after Jonathan Huberdeau tipped back a faceoff win from Bennett, Weegar snapped a quick shot toward the net that flew straight over Vasilevskiy's shoulder and into the twine to set the home crowd off and make it a 1-1 game at 6:19 of the second period.

"We won it back to the middle, Huby made a quick pass to me and I just wanted to get it off as fast as I could," Weegar said of the sequence. "I think there might have been a little deflection there. Faceoffs are key in the playoffs and it was nice to get that one for the boys tonight."
With three points (one goal, two assists) through five games in the series, Weegar's strong play over the past few months appears to have carried over into the postseason. During the regular season, the 27-year-old set a new career-high with 36 points, including leading all NHL defensemen with 31 of them coming at even-strength.
"I thought he had a great last 40 minutes," Quenneville said of Weegar. "Obviously, scoring a goal helped. He had a lot more composure with the puck. Weegs is coming on this year. He had a tremendous season, kept getting better. Defensively, I think it helps his offensive game."

3. MARCHMENT'S WINNER

Marchment is certainly making the most of his top-line opportunity.
With Barkov drawing the interest of seemingly every Lightning player on the ice, Marchment skated down into the slot, took a pinpoint pass from the Panthers captain and blasted a one-timer past Vasilevskiy and into the cage to make it a 2-1 game at 16:55 of the second period.
That timely goal would go on to hold up as the game-winner.

"I had chances before behind the net to hold on, but I lost it every time," Barkov said of his set-up pass. "I kind of tried to get mad at myself and start picking it up a little bit. I got the puck so much coming in from that side and then just made the play. He had a really nice shot on the net."
For Marchment, the goal was his second of the playoffs. Lining up alongside Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe on Florida's top line, the feisty 25-year-old forward has both been picking up some points and bringing the physicality, including leading the team's forwards with seven hits tonight.
"For me, it's not really about personal success," said Marchment, who notched 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 33 games during the regular season.. "Right now, it's just about winning games. Everyone's got to do their role and do what they're best at. I'm just trying to do what I'm best at. … We've been finding some chemistry here and some good plays."

4. HORNQVIST FROM IN FRONT

If you let Hornqvist set up shop in his office, he's going to make you pay more times than not.
Getting tied up with Ryan McDonagh in front of Tampa Bay's net, Hornqvist, despite falling to the ice, serendipitously put himself in the perfect position to catch just enough of a shot from Barkov to send it into the net for a power play goal that made it 3-1 just 35 seconds into the third period.
Since switching to a five-forward top unit, the Cats have recorded at least one power-play goal in each of the last three games.

"We've got Hornqvist in front of the net, and he's great there," Barkov said. "We've got to feed the pucks there to him. Just move the puck and make simple plays, that's how you get going. When you feel good, you can make different plays, too. We talk a lot about it and work on it."
A two-time Stanely Cup champion and veteran of 95 career payoff games, Hornqvist's experience continues to yield good results for the Panthers. Through the first five games of the series, the 34-year-old forward has racked up five points (two goals, three assists).
In the regular season, Hornqvist tallied 14 goals, including a team-high eight on the power play.

5. THE FANS

It won't show up on the scoresheet, but the fans deserve an assist tonight.
With capacity at BB&T Center increasing to 75% for tonight's game, the building felt like it was almost shaking at times. Whether it was the cheers after MacKenzie Weegar's goal, the roars that accompanied every one of Knight's saves or the rats on the ice, the home crowd brought it.
For the players on the ice, that support didn't go unnoticed.
"It felt like at least 25,000 [fans]," Barkov said, flashing a big smile. "It was awesome. Our fans are the best. It was so much fun to play. We want to keep this thing going. We want to play in front of them all the time. Let's keep doing this."
Keep it up!