POSTCARD: Forsling checks in after a lot of hockey in Raleigh

Hey Panthers fans,

Heading home up 2-0, we've got a lot of confidence right now.

We're a team that likes starting these playoff series on the road and being kind of the underdogs, but we're real excited to get home. I know fans have been waiting since 1996 for games like this. That's the year I was born. We know the whole building will be buzzing.

I think we always knew what we could do something like this as a team, but just didn't get it done before. Now, everyone knows what to do. We've just got to stick with it and keep doing what we've been doing. It's been a lot of fun playing in all these games that mean so much.

It's a totally different feeling, for sure. But it's different in a good way. It's a different type of hockey. I feel like we're growing a lot as a group right now. I feel like that's been the case for the whole season. We've been building chemistry and having a lot of it, and it shows on the ice.

For myself, it's been a lot of fun playing against top players and the best teams in the world in the playoffs. It's a fast game out there, so you have to be ready at all times. It's also fun to play in these big games against my former team. It's a little extra motivation, for sure.

Chucky has been getting it done for us with big goals in these first two games of the series in Carolina. He's something else. He's been doing it the whole season, so I'm not really surprised.

Watching what Bob has been doing has also been unbelievable. He's a professional off and on the ice. That's what makes him the best. I try to not get into his zone during games. I just let him be there alone. He's been unreal and I'm just trying to help him as much as I can out there.

Going from playing in four overtimes in Game 1 to just one in Game 2, I think we were all definitely a little less sore waking up this morning than after that first game. It was a good feeling to get that one done earlier. I think all of us needed that extra rest this morning.

I'll try to get some more sleep on the flight home as well.

It's a good time to shut it down for a bit.

See you back in South Florida,

Gustav Forsling

\As told to FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive*