TAMPA – The Florida Panthers aren’t going to take their foot off the gas.
Despite holding a commanding 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference First Round, the Panthers don’t plan to change a thing when they try to complete a stunning sweep of the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 at Amalie Arena on Saturday a 5 p.m. ET.
“We always approach a series like we’re ready to play seven games no matter what,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to come in and play our game no differently than we always do. We don’t expect an easy game tomorrow. It’s just going to be the same difficult level it has been this entire series."
In the history of the NHL, only four teams have ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit in the playoffs.
While that staggeringly low number might be a comfort to some, the Panthers aren’t taking anything from granted and know nothing is over until it’s over. After all, it was only a year ago that they came back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins in Round 1.
“The things that I’ve learned, and things that we’ve all learned in the last five years in general, are completely the reason we’re able to find success right now,” Ekblad said. “I find experience is absolutely everything in the playoffs, and it’s definitely showing.”
During their run to last year’s Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers twice found themselves leading 3-0 in a series. In Round 2, they ended up needing five games to send the Toronto Maple Leafs packing, while in Round 3 they successfully swept the Carolina Hurricanes.
With the brooms out once again, they know the last game of a series is often the hardest to win.
“I don’t think the hockey necessarily changes, but your perception of it does,” head coach Paul Maurice said of elimination games. “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.”
OKPOSO MAKES AN IMPACT
Speaking of desire, look no further than No. 8.
After being on the outside looking in at the playoffs in the previous eight seasons, veteran forward Kyle Okposo had a front-row seat during last night’s 5-3 win against the Lightning.
Despite seeing just 6:41 of ice time, the 36-year-old made every second count, dishing out an assist on Brandon Montour’s go-ahead goal in the third period and later helping create a lot of the chaos in the offensive zone that helped lead to Steven Lorentz’s game-winner.
The game was his first in the playoffs since May 8, 2016.
“It’s just fun to have that feeling again,” Okposo said. “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.”
Picked up by the Panthers at the trade deadline, Okposo said he was only open to joining a contending team as his longtime to desire to chase a Stanley Cup still fueled his daily fire.
Now that he’s back in the playoffs, that fire is burning brighter than ever.
“I’m here to win and here to go on the ride with these fellas,” Okposo said.
For teammates, Okposo’s passion is contagious.
“He fully understands how much fun it is at this time of year and what it means to be playing,” friend and teammate Sam Reinhart said. “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.”
LOMBERG UPDATE
Still dealing with an illness that kept him out of Games 2 and 3 against the Lightning, forward Ryan Lomberg is back with the Panthers but unlikely to suit up in Game 4.
“This is kind of like a 24-hour deal, and then we’ve got to let it sit for 24 hours,” Maurice said Lomberg’s recovery. “He wasn’t feeling great. We’re really cautious with this. He’s here.”
With Lomberg out, the Panthers are expected to run it back with their same lineup.
Showing off their depth with both Sam Bennett (upper body) and Lomberg sidelined, the Panthers led 5-2 in shot attempts, 2-0 in scoring chances and 2-0 in goals when the hard-nosed fourth line of Okposo, Lorentz and Nick Cousins was on the ice at 5-on-5 in Game 3.
“Depth is so important in the playoffs, and we proved last night we have that depth,” Ekblad said. “The fact they played well is so deserving and so fitting. You see the preparation and the hard work.”
TURNING OFF THE POWER
The penalty kill continues to step up for the Panthers.
After going a perfect 4-for-4 in Game 3, they've now now successfully limited the Lightning, who ranked first in the NHL on the power play at 28.6% during the regular season, to just a 16.7% success rate with the man advantage in the series.
A full team effort, nine different Panthers have skated at least 2:50 on the PK thus far.
“It’s predicated on pressure,” said Ekblad, who’s racked up a team-high 12:17 of shorthanded ice time in the series. “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.”
Over the 18:23 the Lightning have spent on the power play, the Panthers have surrendered just 13 shots on goal as faceoff wins, good sticks, clutch clears and blocked shots have all been key.
Of course, you always hear that you best killer is your goaltender.
For the Panthers, Sergei Bobrovsky has been just that, stopping 11 of 13 shots against Tampa Bay’s loaded power play, with five of those saves being considered high-danger, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
If you ask they players, they'll tell you that success on the PK can be boiled down to one thing: hard work.
“The video that we go through is extremely detailed,” Ekblad said. “Because it was such a point of importance, it’s been a point of emphasis for us to be extremely detailed in it.”
The official watch party for Game 4 will be at Bounce Delray Beach.
Visit FloridaPanthers.com/CatsOnTap for more information.
