FORT LAUDERDALE – Who’s ready for a rematch?
After playing the waiting game, the Florida Panthers finally have their second-round opponent after the Boston Bruins barely avoided another upset by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Saturday.
With their second-round series set to kick off on Monday at Amerant Bank Arena, the Panthers, who entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed from the Atlantic Division, will have home-ice advantage in the best-of-7 series against the Bruins, who finished one point behind the Panthers in the regular season.
Even with the benefits of their nearly weeklong wait, the Panthers are ready to get back to work.
“It feels like we’re just about to start playoffs now,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said after Sunday’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex. “That break was really good for us. We’re really refreshed and our mindset’s great. Even though we didn’t know who we were playing, we were fine-tuning our game again, kind of looking back at the last series a bit and just seeing what worked. … We’ve played against these guys a lot this year, so we know what type of team they are. I think it was more just getting some rest.”
Looking strong after dispatching the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in Round 1, the Panthers certainly have a history with the Bruins. After all, they’re only a season removed from fighting back from a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins in Game 7 in Round 1.
And while the memory of Carter Verhaeghe’s overtime goal in Game 7 at TD Garden is forever burned into the memories of both fanbases, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov believes it was how the team responded in Game 5 that truly set the franchise on the exciting path to last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
“It all started Game 5 when we were going to Boston losing 3-1,” 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.”
Ever since Game 5 in Boston, the Panthers have been on the warpath.
It’s also the same mentality they brought into this past regular season and the playoffs.
“I just think that it showed we could beat anybody,” Tkachuk said when asked what the team took away from last year’s stunning upset over the Bruins. “It gave us a lot of confidence that no matter who we play, no matter what building we’re in, no matter what atmosphere we’re in, we have a chance to win. It brought us super close together, that series. The effects of that series are still being shown now.”
Still, the Panthers know they’re going to have to earn it again if they want to advance.
Underdog or big dog, they don’t really care.
Just like last year’s run, each series presents a new challenge.
“We have the same mindset as last year,” Barkov said when asked if he believes the Panthers should be favorites in the upcoming series. “We want to out-compete every team we play. It doesn’t 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.”
During his post-practice media availability, head coach Paul Maurice might have summed it up best.
“All the things of the past mean nothing,” he said succinctly.
When the puck drops tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET, the slate will be wiped clean once again.
BARKOV FOR SELKE
For the third time in the last four seasons, Barkov is in line for some hardware.
On Sunday, the humble superstar center was once again named as a finalist for the 2023-24 Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded annually “to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.”
The other two finalists are Auston Matthews (Toronto) and Jordan Staal (Carolina).
After winning the Selke Trophy in 2020-21, Barkov finished third in voting in 2021-22, eighth in 2022-23 and now is guaranteed to finish at least in the top-3 this season.
“It means a lot,” Barkov said of his latest nomination. “Every year I’m just trying to do my job and be as good as possible defensively, offensively. Playing on a good team with good systems and great teammates, that helps a lot, too. It means a lot. It’s a great thing, for sure.”
An elite two-way player, Barkov produced 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 73 games this season, while also leading all Panthers forwards with +33 plus/minus rating and winning a career-high 57.3% of his faceoffs. Despite missing nine games, he also led the team with 61 takeaways – his most since 2018-19.
A beast in the possession game, Barkov’s 58.43 CF% at 5-on-5 was the second-best mark of his career, only slightly behind the 58.90 CF% he boasted when he won the Selke Trophy in 2020-21. Additionally, his 69.74 GF% -- a new career-high mark -- led all forwards in the NHL that skated at least 400 minutes.
At 5-on-5, the Panthers led 53-23 in goals when their captain was deployed.
As much as the Selke Trophy is about defense, it’s also about being unselfish.
A trait Barkov has in spades.
“He comes to the rink to help his team win,” Maurice said. “His decisions are always solid hockey on the right side of the puck. He’s capable of great things offensively, but he prioritizes winning over that.”
Stay tuned for more analysis of Barkov’s Selke Trophy-worthy season after the playoffs.
BENNETT IMPROVING
The latest news on Sam Bennett is good.
“He skated well today,” Maurice of the grizzled center’s status following practice. “He’s at or probably better than I hoped he would (be). He’s not playing tomorrow night, but we’ll list him as day to day.”
Out since Game 2 of the first round with an upper-body injury, Bennett recorded a goal, an assist and four hits in the playoffs prior to being sidelined. A crucial piece of Florida’s success and a culture-type player, the 27-year-old recorded 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) during last year’s run to the Final.
While he won’t suit up in Game 1 against Boston, things look to be trending in the right direction.
SUNDAY’S PRACTICE LINES
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodrigues – Kevin Stenlund – Vladimir Tarasenko
Nick Cousins – Steven Lorentz – Kyle Okposo
Extras: Ryan Lomberg, Jonah Gadjovich
Defense
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov
Extras: Josh Mahura, Uvis Balinskis, Tobias Bjornfot
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz
Extra: Spencer Knight
