"It's going to be a challenge for us to be ready to play on time," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said of the unusual scheduling. "Those afternoon games, I've said this before, it's usually the team that's ready to play, and in the first little bit the games are usually won."
Fresh off a successful two-game homestand at FLA Live Arena, the Panthers followed up a 7-4 win over the Canadiens on Tuesday with a dominant 4-0 win over the Blackhawks on Thursday.
Against Chicago, captain Aleksander Barkov scored a pair of goals to increase his team-leading total to 31, while red-hot Ryan Lomberg lit the lamp for the third straight game, Gustav Forsling found the back of the net, and Sergei Bobrovsky denied all 37 shots he saw between the pipes.
Sitting at 33-6-3 and tied for second in the NHL in wins, Bobrovsky needs just three more wins to break Roberto Luongo's franchise record of 35, which he achieved in 2005-06 and 2015-16.
Earning an accolade for his stellar play, Bobrovsky, who will start one of the two games in this back-to-back set, was named the NHL's third star of the month on Friday after posting a 7-0-0 record with a 2.13 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts in March.
If Bobrovsky doesn't start in New Jersey, rookie Spencer Knight will get the nod.
"He gives us a chance to win every night," Barkov said after Bobrovsky shut out Chicago. "It was no different today. He's always unbelievable. We trust him and we're lucky to have him."
Leading the Panthers and sitting third in the NHL in scoring with 94 points, Jonathan Huberdeau leads the league with 71 assists - the most helpers by a left winger in a season in NHL history. With two more points, he will tie Barkov's single-season franchise record of 96 from 2018-19.
Setting a franchise record against the Blackhawks with their 28th home win, the Panthers (46-15-6) need one more win overall to match the franchise-record 47 they racked up in 2015-16.
Settling into a nice rhythm on the road in 2022, the Panthers, who are averaging a league-best 4.06 goals per game this season, have posted a 14-5-2 record away from home since Jan. 1.
"We're just trying to get our game in shape and kind of get in that rhythm and that cadence here as a group," Brunette said of the road ahead. "We've added a few pieces. We've played well, but we just want to make sure we stay on top of things and play at our best going forward here."
While Noel Acciari and Patric Hornqvist aren't traveling with the Panthers on this trip as they work their way back from minor injuries - "Nothing serious," Brunette said of the duo - there is a chance that rookie Anton Lundell could be back on the ice for the first time since March 7.
Sidelined by a lower-body injury and then slowed down in his rehab by the flu, the 20-year-old had tallied 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 52 games prior to being knocked out of the lineup.
"Hoping Lundy is ready to go," Brunette said.
Last in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils (24-38-5) have lost six of their last eight games and enter this afternoon's contest reeling from an 8-1 beatdown in Boston on Thursday. Trailing 2-1 after the first period, New Jersey surrendered six unanswered goals to the Bruins in the second.
With the lopsided loss, the Devils were eliminated from playoff contention.
"We all had a part in this one," New Jersey head coach Lindy Ruff said.
Of course, a team with nothing to lose is sometimes even more dangerous.
Looking to prove themselves against the Panthers, the Devils are led up front by the trio of Jesper Bratt (65 points), Jack Huges (55 points) and Nico Hischier (48 points). Over the last eight games, those three players have combined for 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points.
Getting the bulk of the starts as of late, rookie goaltender Nico Daws, who was pulled during the second period against the Bruins, has gone 8-9-0 on top of a .894 save percentage this season.
"Usually the guys that win the game are ready from the get-go," Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas said. "We're going to have to be sharp for a full 60 [minutes]. We did a lot of good things last game, but there's also things we need to clean up. We had a good video session today."
Facing off for the third and final time this season, the Panthers bounced back from a 7-3 loss at New Jersey in their first meeting on Nov. 9 with a 4-1 win over the Devils in Sunrise on Nov. 18.
With a win and a little help around the league, the Cats could clinch a playoff spot.
"We had our hands full both games," Brunette said when asked about the hard-fought season series. "They play really fast. The Hughes kid and Hischier, they've got some kids that have all kinds of skill. They're looking for us to have a loose game. We've got to make sure we play our way. If not, we could be chasing the game tomorrow afternoon. It's going to be a challenge."
