The Florida Panthers showed why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. Facing a two-game deficit in the series and a two-goal deficit in Game 3, they rallied and won four of five games against the Toronto Maple Leafs to advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the third consecutive season.
There will be the usual narratives around the Maple Leafs, given their postseason history, but the Panthers deserve their credit. They were the better team from top to bottom, and they look poised to repeat as Eastern Conference champs and perhaps as Stanley Cup champions.
Panthers Were Relentless
Typically, the teams that dominate at five-on-five, or at least control play, make runs in the playoffs. Even though the Panthers lost the first two games of this series, it’s not because they played poorly at five-on-five. They controlled over 54 percent of the expected goals (xG%) in Game 1 and 74.5 percent in Game 2. They just couldn’t get saves from Sergei Bobrovsky, who had a save percentage of .800 at all strengths.
All the Panthers needed was to get saves as the series progressed, especially if they kept up their play at five-on-five, and that’s what occurred. Game 3 was a thriller that went to overtime, but Brad Marchand’s winner helped flip the series in the Panthers’ favor. They never looked back after that, making the Maple Leafs look like they didn’t belong in some games.
It was most evident in the Game 5 and 7 demolitions, with the Panthers ready to play from the opening faceoff and never giving the Maple Leafs a chance. The Panthers’ forecheck was relentless and gave the Maple Leafs all kinds of trouble. They were winning all the one-on-one battles and forcing Maple Leafs defenders into careless decisions with the puck.
There were multiple instances of Maple Leafs skaters turning the puck over on defensive-zone breakouts. It didn’t bite the Maple Leafs in the first, but the Panthers’ relentless pressure caught up to the Maple Leafs in the second. Once they went up 3-0, it felt like game over.
That’s what championship teams do, and the Panthers showed why they have a shot at repeating. The most impressive part is that they’re getting contributions from all over the lineup. Seth Jones had a massive Game 7, while Marchand has been a valuable contributor playing on the third line with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarainen.
Now, with Bobrovsky seeming to return to form, the Panthers have what it takes to make another run to the Stanley Cup Final. They have a challenge ahead of them in the Carolina Hurricanes, but you have to like their chances.
Panthers May Be the Best Team Left
It’s rare that you get the four best teams in the Final Four of the NHL playoffs, but there’s a pretty good argument we’re entering the Conference Finals with the four best teams. The Panthers, however, may be the best of them all.
The Hurricanes have won eight of their ten playoff games, but they’ve had an easy path. The New Jersey Devils were without Jack Hughes and lacked the necessary talent to give the Hurricanes a run for their money. Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals were never as good as their record indicated, and the Hurricanes proved that.
