The Panthers won a franchise-record 58 games during the regular season.
But they'll need 16 more to hoist hockey's ultimate prize - the Stanley Cup.
Heading into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Panthers, who won their first Presidents' Trophy as the league's top team during the regular season, will begin their run with a first-round matchup against the Capitals that kicks off on Tuesday at FLA Live Arena.
PLAYOFFS: Panthers vs. Capitals Round 1 Preview
"I'm very excited," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said following Monday's practice. "This is a special group. Obviously we did a really good job during the regular season, but that really doesn't matter in Game 1. But we've done special things this year.
"I'm really excited about what's going to happen in the playoffs. All you have to do is just play as hard as you can, give everything you have and just have a lot of fun with the team. I think we've been doing that all year. We've been having a lot of fun and success."
Looking to win their first series since their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996, the Panthers have qualified for the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. At the other end of the ice, the Capitals haven't made it beyond the first round since they won the Stanley Cup back in 2018.
"They're not an eighth seed," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said of Washington, which is making its eighth straight playoff appearance. "Any other year and they could've been a top-4 seed. They're a really good team. We played them three times early.
"We haven't seen them for a while, but you're always watching. You see a lot of their games. They're a veteran team. They know it doesn't matter who they play. They've been there, won the Cup. They'll be raring to go and know they need to get through anybody."
Set to meet for the first time ever in the postseason, the Panthers owned a 2-1-0 record against the Capitals during the regular season, with all three of those games being played in November.
Owning home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, the Panthers set a franchise record and led the NHL in wins at home with a record of 34-7-0. Better away from their own barn than in it, the Capitals garnered the most points (56) on the road in the league with a record of 25-10-6.
But with the playoffs about to begin, players on both teams are only looking forward.
"I'm really pumped," said Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas, who played for Washington in 2018-19. "They're an experienced, little bit older team, so they know what they're doing out there. They're big, strong, heavy. I expect a fun series and look forward to getting started."
From scheduling to key stats and stars, here's everything you need to know for Round 1.
THE BASICS
Panthers:58-18-6, 122 points
Capitals: 44-26-12, 100 points
Season series:FLA 2-1-0; WSH 1-1-1
GF/GP: FLA (4.11, 1st); WSH (3.29, 10th)
GA/GP: FLA (2.95, T-12th); WSH (2.95, T-12th)
PP:FLA (24.4%, T-5th); WSH (18.8%, 23rd)
PK:FLA (79.5%, 16th); WSH (80.4%, 12th)
CF:FLA (56.36%, 1st); WSH (50.55%, 14th)
OFFENSE
Panthers:The only team in the NHL to average over four goals per game during the regular season, the Panthers ranked first in the league with a franchise-record 337 goals. Pelting the opposing net with pucks, they averaged a league-best 37.3 shots on goal per game, including 31 games with at least 40 shots. Scoring in bunches, they scored five-plus goals in 32 games.
Jonathan Huberdeau led the team and ranked tied for second in the NHL with a franchise-record 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists). Barkov finished second with 88 points (39 goals, 49 assists), while Sam Reinhart ended up third with a career-high 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists).
After getting off a bit of a slow start with the man advantage, the Panthers recovered to finish tied for fifth in the NHL with a 24.4% success rate on the power play. Turning a corner in 2022, they registered at league-leading 29% success rate with the extra attacker from Jan. 1 onward.
Huberdeau led the team in assists (33) and points (38) on the power play, while Reinhart buried the most goals (16). After that dynamic duo, three other players racked up at least 20 points on the man advantage: Barkov (26), Anthony Duclair (21) and Aaron Ekblad (20).
Capitals: Even with their power play not packing its patented punch, the Capitals still ranked 10th in the NHL with 270 goals during the regular season. Averaging 31.4 shots per game, they scored five or more goals in 17 games, but were also held to two-or-fewer goals in 29 games.
Achieving the ninth 50-goal campaign of his career, Alex Ovechkin led the team with 90 points (50 goals, 40 assists). In second, Evgeny Kuznetsov tallied 78 points (24 goals, 54 assist), while John Carlson ranked third and led the team's defensemen with 71 points (17 goals, 54 assists).
Owning the 23rd-ranked power play in the NHL with an 18.8% success rate, the Capitals operated at below 20% with the extra attacker for just the second time in the last 10 seasons. Struggling a bit during the final month of the season, they converted on just 15.7% of their chances in April.
Ovechkin ranked first on the team in both goals (16) and points (29) on the power play, while Kuznetsov dished out the most assists (19). As the quarterback of the top unit, Carlson finished sixth among NHL blueliners with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) on the man advantage.
DEFENSE
Panthers:Even though it was their high-octane offense that garnered headlines, the Panthers were also steady in their own end during the regular season. Tied with Washington for the 12th-ranked defense, they surrendered an average of 2.95 goals per game. Particularly strong during the second half, they gave up two-or-fewer goals in 16 of the 32 games they played after Feb. 1.
In net, Sergei Bobrovsky, who won 13 of his last 14 decisions, finished tied for first in the NHL in wins, posting a 39-7-3 record with a .913 save percentage and three shutouts. Backing him up, rookie Spencer Knight earned a 19-9-3 record with a .908 save percentage and two shutouts.
Owning the 16th-ranked penalty kill in the NHL at 79.5%, MacKenzie Weegar led the team with 175:41 of shorthanded ice time. As a team, the Panthers finished second in the NHL with 12 shorthanded goals. Barkov led the team with four shorties, while Huberdeau produced three.
Capitals:Giving up the exact same number of goals as Florida (242), the Capitals were tied for 12th on defense during the regular season. Doing a good job of limiting chances, they were tied for the fifth-fewest shots allowed per game (29). Rarely getting blown out by the opposition, they allowed four-plus goals in just 28 games, and gave up at least five goals in only 15 games.
With no clear-cut No. 1 goaltender, Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vaneck essentially shared the net. Samsonov owned a 23-12-5 record with a .896 save percentage and three shutouts in 39 starts, while Vaneck, who also made 39 starts, went 20-12-6 with a .908 save percentage and four shutouts.
Twelfth in the NHL on the penalty kill at 80.4%, Nick Jensen (192:55) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (190:44) led Washington in shorthanded ice time. Five different Capitals combined for eight shorthanded goals, with Kuznetsov (3) and Tom Wilson (2) each chipping in more than one.
POSSESSION NUMBERS
Panthers:The top-possession team in the NHL, the Panthers controlled a league-best 56.36% of shot attempts and 56.71% of scoring chances at 5-on-5. One of just seven teams to fire off more than 4,000 shot attempts at even-strength, their 4,300 were by far the most in the league.
Capitals: A middle-of-the pack squad in terms of possession, the Capitals ranked 14th in the league by controlling 50.55% of shot attempts and 50.40% of scoring chances at 5-on-5. In the regular season, they finished with below a 50% share of shot attempts at 5-on-5 in 38 games.
\All numbers per NaturalStatTrick.com*
X-FACTORS
Panthers:Depth. From the moment the puck first dropped back in October, the Panthers have been praised for their unmatched depth, especially up front. Attacking opponents in waves, their top-three lines all boast a player that posted at least 80 points in the regular season. They have four 30-goal scorers, 13 players with at least 10 goals, and 10 players with at least 40 points.
Already in position to contend for the Stanley Cup, the Panthers got even deeper with the additions of Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot and Robert Hagg at the NHL's trade deadline. Giroux produced 23 points in 18 games after the move, while Chiarot tallied eight points in 20 games.
After missing the final 20 games of the regular season due to a lower-body injury, Ekblad, the team's No. 1 defenseman, is expected to return to action at some point in Round 1. Playing in 61 games prior to his injury, he accumulated a career-high 57 points (15 goals, 42 assists).
With that much firepower, it'll be a challenge for any team to keep up with the Cats.
"I think we just keep pushing on," Brunette said. "That's been our M.O. all year. We kind of ignore the noise. We know to get to where we want to go it's going to take a lot. We're just worried about that process right now, the day-to-day. That's been our mindset all year."
Capitals:Ovechkin. Even at 36 years old, the "Great 8" is still at the center of everything for the Capitals, and the team will likely go as far as he can take them. Despite missing the final three games of the regular season due to an upper-body injury, Ovechkin, who leads all active NHL players with 71 goals in 141 postseason games, is expected to be back on the ice for Game 1.
Finishing fourth in the NHL with 50 goals, Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons in the history of the league with nine. Looking like a possible Hart Trophy contender early on in the season, his 90 points were also the most since he had 109 in 2009-10.
In order to take down Washington, containing Ovechkin will be key.
"He shoots everything," Gudas said. "He's one of the greatest players that has ever played this sport, so it's obviously going to be hard. That being said, I don't think we need to give him any kind of room or particular respect. I think we'll play him as hard as anybody else. Taking him out of the possible scoring sheet, that's going to give us a big chance of winning the series."
TOP-FIVE SCORERS
Panthers
1. Jonathan Huberdeau: 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists)
2. Aleksander Barkov: 88 points (39 goals, 49 assists)
3. Sam Reinhart: 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists)
4. Anthony Duclair: 58 points (31 goals, 27 assists)
5. Aaron Ekblad: 57 points (15 goals, 42 assists)
Capitals
1. Alex Ovechkin: 90 points (50 goals, 40 assists)
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov: 78 points (24 goals, 54 assists)
3. John Carlson: 71 points (17 goals, 54 assists)
4. Tom Wilson: 52 points (24 goals, 28 assists)
5. Conor Sheary: 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists)
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Panthers
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anthony Duclair
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Sam Bennett -- Claude Giroux
Mason Marchment -- Anton Lundell -- Sam Reinhart
Ryan Lomberg -- Eetu Luostarinen -- Patric Hornqvist
Defensemen
MacKenzie Weegar -- Aaron Ekblad
Gustav Forsling -- Radko Gudas
Ben Chiarot -- Brandon Montour
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
Scratched: Lucas Carlsson, Petteri Lindbohm, Noel Acciari, Joe Thornton, Robert Hagg, Maxim Mamin, Jonas Johansson
Injured: Markus Nutivaara
Capitals
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Tom Wilson
Marcus Johansson -- Nicklas Backstrom -- Conor Sheary
Anthony Mantha -- Lars Eller -- T.J. Oshie
Johan Larsson -- Nic Dowd -- Garnet Hathaway
Defensemen
Martin Fehervary -- John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov -- Nick Jensen
Trevor van Riemsdyk -- Justin Schultz
Goaltenders
Ilya Samsonov
Vitek Vanecek
Scratched:Connor McMichael, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Michal Kempny, Matt Irwin
Injured: Carl Hagelin, Joe Snively
ONE EXTRA INTERESTING STAT
Panthers: The "Comeback Cats" led the NHL with 29 comeback wins in 2021-22.
Capitals: The Capitals are the first eighth seed in NHL history with at least 100 points.
ROUND 1 SCHEDULE
Game 1:Tuesday, May 3, 7:30 p.m. - FLA Live Arena
Game 2: Thursday, May 5, 7:30 p.m. - FLA Live Arena
Game 3:Saturday, May 7, 1 p.m. - Capital One Arena
Game 4:Monday, May 9, 7 p.m. - Capital One Arena
\Game 5: Wednesday, May 11, TBD - FLA Live Arena
\Game 6: Friday, May 13, TBD - Capital One Arena
*Game 7:Sunday, May 15, TBD - FLA Live Arena
WATCH PARTIES
Game 3:Funky Buddha Brewery (1201 NE 38th St, Oakland Park, FL 33334)
Game 4:Tin Roof (8 E Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444)
\Game 6:TBD
\If Necessary
