PREVIEW: Panthers expect to 'come out buzzing' for first home game of ECF

SUNRISE, Fla. --Fans in South Florida have waited 27 years for this.

Playing in their first Eastern Conference Final game on home ice since 1996, the Florida Panthers will host the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 3 at FLA Live Arena on Monday.

"I'm really excited for it," Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said after this morning's skate. "It's gotten crazy, the buzz around our team and this city. … We should be super excited coming home up 2-0 with a chance to play in front of our fans. … We're going to come out buzzing."

Just as they did against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2, the Panthers won the first two games of the best-of-7 series on the road. Tkachuk provided the heroics in both games, scoring first in quadruple overtime to end Game 1 and then again in single overtime to claim Game 2.

Leading the Panthers in playoff scoring with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists), Tkachuk has scored three overtime goals in this year's playoffs, which is tied for the NHL record. Overall, the Panthers have won nine of their last 10 games, including eight straight victories on the road.

Making the playoffs by just one point, the eighth-seed Panthers haven't stopped smiling since their run began.

"It's just going out there and enjoying the moment," said Tkachuk, a finalist for the Hart Trophy this season. "I don't think many people had us pegged to be in this position right now. Why play if you can't have fun? We're enjoying each and every minute of it."

In addition to Tkachuk, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov has also been carrying a hot stick in this series. Finding the back of the net in each of the first two games against Carolina, he made headlines in Game 2 when he pulled off a between-the-legs fake before scoring to tie the game 1-1 in the second period.

During the second intermission, Wayne Gretzky -- yes, thatWayne Gretzky … No. 99 … The Great One -- said on the TNT broadcast that the goal was "one of the greatest moves I've ever seen."

"Well, I'm pretty sure he's scored bigger goals," said Barkov said when told about Gretzky's immense praise after the game. "It means a lot coming from him. It's nice to hear, for sure."

But at the center of Florida's success has been the man between the pipes.

Extending his streak of giving up two-or-fewer goals to seven games, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 37 of 38 shots Game 2, including making 19 saves in the first period. During that stretch, he's posted a 6-1-0 record while turning aside 264 of 277 shots for a stellar .953 save percentage.

Per MoneyPuck.com, Bobrovsky has saved 17.3 goals above expected in the playoffs.

"Bob has been unreal for us," Barkov said. "We just play our game. That's our type of game. We don't play those games where you score eight goals anymore. We're trying to play as well as possible in the defensive zone, and Bob is there for us when you need him."

Across the ice, the Hurricanes have their backs up against the wall.

Despite playing two strong games against the Panthers, they find themselves in a 2-0 hole heading into a tough building in Sunrise. In the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, teams that fall behind 2-0 in a best-of-7 series has gone on to post an all-time series record of 55-345.

If they fall behind 3-0, that record shifts to 4-200.

Coming out hot in Game 2, the Hurricanes fired off 20 shots on goal in the first period, but only received one goal -- a re-direct from Jalen Chatfield -- for their trouble. After weathering that storm, the Panthers were able to find their footing and settle in for the rest of the night.

Giving Frederik Andersen a breather after he stopped 57 of 60 shots during the quadruple overtime thriller in Game 1, Antti Raanta got the start for the Hurricanes in Game 2. Doing more than hold his own, Raanta stopped 24 of 26 shots, but didn't get the goal support he needed.

Andersen is expected to be back in the blue paint for Game 3.

Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen have each recorded two points through the first two games against the Panthers, while three other players have tallied just one point. Heading into the series tied for first on Carolina in playoff scoring, Jordan Martinook is currently without a point in the series.

In a battle between two of the best teams in the NHL at 5-on-5 during the regular season, the Panthers have found more success in the series thus far. According to NaturalStatTrick.com they've led 4-1 in goals, 73-65 in scoring chances and 40-39 in high-danger shot attempts.

Thriving in these tight games, the Panthers certainly feel comfortable in this situation.

"We've had just an awful long run of very tense, tight games," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. "Now that seems to be the norm for us. If there's an advantage in that, it's comfort. All the standard lines, being comfortable in uncomfortable situations, that isn't great coaching. We just got thrust into that situation enough that we got used to it."

THEY SAID IT

"I'm expecting a better start. They had a really good start last game and had us on our heels for a little bit. We were able to weather that and Bob made some big saves and allowed us to get to our game. Once we got to the first half of the first period, we got to our game." - Matthew Tkachuk on coming out stronger to start Game 3

"It's nice to play in front of your own fans, especially at this time of the year. We're excited. They're going to be excited. It's going to be a fun night." - Aleksander Barkov on being back in South Florida for Game 3

"It's a big win for us. I'm fortunate to be here and happy to play hockey, playoff hockey. They have a great team. They have an unbelievable team. They're very structural and they're a very strong team. Again, I just want to thank God for the opportunity, for the result and for this body." - Sergei Bobrovsky following his outstanding performance in Game 2

PLAYOFF LEADERS

Panthers

Goals:Tkachuk (7)

Assists:Tkachuk (11)

Points:Tkachuk (18)

Hurricanes

Goals: Aho (5), Fast (5), Jarvis (5)

Assists: Martinook (7), Burns (7), Aho (7)

Points: Aho (12)

PANTHERS PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Forwards

Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Anthony Duclair

Nick Cousins - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart

Colin White - Eric Staal - Ryan Lomberg

Defensemen

Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad

Marc Staal - Brandon Montour

Josh Mahura - Radko Gudas

Goaltenders

Sergei Bobrovsky

Alex Lyon

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

- May 8: F Mackie Samoskevich agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract

HOW TO WATCH

When: Monday, May 22 at 8 p.m. ET

Where:FLA Live Arena - Sunrise, FL

TV & Streaming: TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS

Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM Streaming Channel 220 / App & Streaming 932; NHL App

Tickets: Click Here

PREGAME LISTEN

Hear from Sam Reinhart on this week's episode of Territory Talk.