With another chance to clinch, Panthers would be wise to follow Tkachuk’s example from Game 5
It was an effort of desperation, a moment of will, a play of sheer determination.
The Florida Panthers’ net was empty as they tried one last-ditch effort to complete their comeback bid in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers as Connor McDavid flung a shot toward the net.
Matthew Tkachuk scrambled forward, diving and extending his stick to bat the puck away.
It ended up being for naught, with McDavid recollecting the puck and scoring anyway to seal the 5-3 Oilers win to keep the best-of-7 series alive (Florida still leads 3-2 entering Game 6 in Edmonton on Friday but has dropped its first two potential clinching games).
But Tkachuk’s hustle has been shown countless times in replays and highlights of the game.
“I just tried not to let it go in,” Tkachuk said, who added that he has only looked back at the play when he sees it on TV. “It’s the same mind-set that the rest of the team has — play until the last second, the last whistle. Every inch counts. It’s playing a game that I guess isn’t seen a lot of, but they scored right after, so it didn’t really matter.”
Except ... it might have.
Yes, the Panthers still lost the game.
But a play like that — by a player of Tkachuk’s caliber — is a staunch example of how this Panthers team operates.
Every player is willing to lay everything on the line if it gives them an opportunity — no matter how slim — to come out on top.
“He’s one of the best players in the world,” fourth-line winger Ryan Lomberg said. “He’s one of our main leaders. When guys like that lead by example, everybody else is well on board.”
And that late effort to try to keep a last-second gasp of a rally alive came after Tkachuk had already scored a goal and added an assist earlier in the game. Tkachuk had said before the game that his goal was to have his best game of the series. Tkachuk had just one point — an assist on a Sam Bennett goal in Game 3 — through the first four games of the series.
Mission accomplished on that front.
Now, he and the Panthers turn their attention to building on what they did late in the losing effort as they try, once again, to close out the series and win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
“When your leaders are leading, everyone follows behind,” Florida forward Evan Rodrigues said. “I think it was big for him to get a goal there and probably the best game he’s had this series. I think when he’s at his best, he’s just a force. He’s unstoppable, he’s big, he wants the puck, he wants contact when he has the puck.”
It very well might take another big effort from Tkachuk to carry the Panthers to the series clincher. Even though he leads the team with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists), he hasn’t had his true big moment yet this Stanley Cup playoffs after coming up with so many of them a year ago.
“We’re very comfortable in this position right now,” Tkachuk said. “Obviously, being up three games to zero, we wouldn’t have wanted it to go to this point, but we knew they were gong to have a push. They’re an unbelievable team. They’ve had a great playoffs, great season. We knew this wasn’t going to be a four-game series. Let’s all be honest there. So we’re very comfortable with this positioning. ... We’re excited. We know it’s going to be a great environment, and hopefully their last game of the season.”
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