The Panthers’ season is still alive. Takeaways from a complete, season-saving performance
There was rare relief for Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers in the opening minutes of the third period Wednesday in Toronto. At the start of the period, the Panthers could feel mounting pressure after blowing a second-period lead for the second day in a row, but it only a minute for Florida to take control again with a power-play goal by Mike Hoffman.
Then, it took only another two minutes for some unprecedented breathing room in this must-win Game 3. Brian Boyle found the back of the net and, for the first time in the qualifying round, the Panthers had a two-goal lead — one they’d need to hang on for a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders and extend their season.
“We kept our foot on the gas,” the forward said.
Boyle’s goal with 17:12 remaining was the cushion Florida needed after the Islanders scored with 1:27 to go. Hoffman’s was the spark and salvation after the Panthers nearly collapsed yet again, and tumbled toward a sweep.
On Tuesday, Florida led deep into the second period of Game 2 before New York scored twice in the second half of the frame. On Wednesday, the Panthers again led late in the second before the Islanders tied the game with 3:34 left in the period.
This time, Florida had the answer to New York’s game-tying goal. Just seven seconds into third period began, Semyon Varlamov played the puck outside the trapezoid behind his net for a delay-of-game penalty. The Panthers went on the power play and quickly set up a look for Hoffman. Center Aleksander Barkov cycled the puck from left to right to Keith Yandle, and the defenseman found Hoffman, set up wide on the right side of the right faceoff circle. It’s a comfortable shot for the hard-shooting winger and he ripped a shot past the former All-Star goaltender to put Florida back ahead for good with 19:19 remaining.
“We just wanted to, obviously, play a simpler game and a harder game,” Boyle said. “We got a forecheck, put the goalie in a tough spot, so we got a power play and Hoff scores a big goal.”
The win keeps the Panthers’ season alive for at least a few more days. Game 4 — another must-win for Florida — is set for Friday back at Scotiabank Arena.
On Wednesday at least, the Panthers accomplished everything they had been harping on as a priority in this five-game series.
They scored first and never had to play from behind against the defensive-minded Islanders. They mostly stayed out of the penalty box, and won the special-teams battle by scoring twice on power plays and denying entirely on penalty kills. Bobrovsky limited his mistakes and the defense in front of him made life easier than it was in the regular season.
It was the complete effort Florida had been searching for throughout the first two games of the qualifying round.
“Everyone stepped up, from the D to the forwards,” said Bobrovsky, who faced only 22 shots and saved 20 of them. “It’s fun to be part of this kind of environment. I thought we played a whole 60 minutes, we played smart hockey and we were composed.”
The good: The power play
Special teams was at the center of the Panthers’ best game of the expanded postseason. When Hoffman scored in the third period, Florida was 2 of 4 on the power play Wednesday, then drew one more extra-man opportunity while it milked the two-goal lead. As they nursed the lead for most of the third, the Panthers didn’t commit a single penalty. New York ultimately finished 0 for 3 on the power play after going 2 for 7 on Tuesday.
For the first two games of the series, special teams — and specifically the amount of penalties Florida committed — dug the Panthers a 2-0 hole. On Wednesday, Florida flipped the special-teams battle, and is now 3 of 9 on the power play and 10 of 13 on the penalty kill.
“Power play’s been very good,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We’re very happy with it right now, pleased with it, knowing that, hey, we’ll see what adjustments are going to be going in going forward, but those guys they recognize good opportunities when it’s there.”
The Panthers’ first goal also came on a power play in the second period, once again created by Hoffman, who now has four points in the series. First, Yandle ripped a slap shot from the right point to create a rebound opportunity, but Evgenii Dadonov couldn’t handle the bounce and the Islanders cleared. Fifteen seconds later, the winger redeemed himself.
Hoffman ripped a slap shot, and Varlamov gave up a big bounce again. This time, Dadonov pounced and shuffled a pass across the ice to Erik Haula, who put away the game’s opening goal.
A few minutes later, Florida faced a penalty kill. Just as it was ending, New York defenseman Ryan Pulock ripped a slap shot from the point, and Haula threw his body in front of puck. He hobbled to the bench and winced as he sat down. Ekblad, whose penalty had given the Islanders the power play, smothered the forward with a relieved hug.
“I was just giving him a hug and telling him, ‘I’ve got a big block for you coming up at some point in the series,’” Ekblad said. “We sacrificed the body well. Bob made some big saves. It comes down to all four of those guys and the goalie just doing a great job and doing what they’re here to do.”
The bad: Still on the brink
New York created its own extra-man opportunity for the last few minutes when it pulled Varlamov for the extra attacker. The Panthers withstood the barrage, but only barely. Islanders forward Brock Nelson cut Florida’s lead to one when he banked a shot off Ekblad’s skate and into the net with 1:27 remaining. In the last 2:04, New York peppered Bobrovsky with four shots and the Panthers didn’t have any.
Bobrovsky survived, though, only letting the one goal through and the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, who had one of the worst regular seasons in his career, has now put up a .905 save percentage with a 2.67 goals-against average so far in the qualifying round.
As good as the goaltender has been so far, Florida still barely clings to life and the final minutes were another reminder. All it will take for the Panthers to fall short of the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs once again is a few more mistakes at the wrong time.
“It’s a great win for us, but the series goes on,” Bobrovsky said. “We can’t get too high. We have to stay focused, relax and come back and have a battle the day after tomorrow. Islanders is a good team and we’re going to have a good hockey game next time.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 2:41 PM.
