Stuff happens quickly in the playoffs, so we'll just try to put yesterday behind us and look forward to tomorrow and be excited for Game 2. Over the last couple months, we've really committed to the grind and committed to hard work. For so long, it was about just getting into the playoffs.
We knew that when we got in that we'd have a tough matchup, but it really doesn't matter who we're playing. We're just going to worry about us. When we do that, I think we play our best hockey.
Personally, getting to play in my first playoff game in the NHL was a great experience. Just to be in the room battling with these guys is a lot of fun. The intensity and everything was a lot higher than in the regular season. Everyone finishes their checks and battles just a little bit harder.
You can tell that everyone just kind of starts rising to this new level and then it just becomes normal.
The playoffs are also a good time to lean on the veterans. Those guys have been here before and know what it takes. They know it's a seven-game series, not a one-game series. As much as you work to recover physically on days like today, you learn it's also about recovering mentally.
Don't dwell on the past, but learn from it.
We feel that Game 1 was promising, but there's a lot we can get better at going into tomorrow. I think there's a lot to look forward to. We've got one more game here in Boston and then we're excited to bring the series back to South Florida and play in front of our own fans.
See you then,
Josh Mahura
\As told to FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive*
