A ‘style change’ led to three Panthers getting their playoff moment. They took advantage
They waited for their moment, knowing very well that it might not come. They stayed prepared in the background, pushing through extra practice sessions and remaining engaged in team meetings even when the video and scouting reports wouldn’t necessarily apply to them on that given night.
“They work so hard every single day,” coach Paul Maurice said.
The Florida Panthers’ depth, specifically with their forwards, is an unquestionable strength for this team. That was amplified at the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Brad Marchand and Nico Sturm and then reinforced even more once star winger Matthew Tkachuk returned following a nearly two-and-a-half month recovery period from an apparent groin injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off in mid-February.
So much so that Florida’s regular fourth line throughout the regular season — the trio of left wing A.J. Greer, center Tomas Nosek and right wing Jonah Gadjovich — was essentially a non-factor to start the Stanley Cup playoffs. Greer appeared in three of Florida’s first seven games, but Nosek and Gadjovich were healthy scratches throughout.
Finally, on Friday, the group made its collective return to the lineup., replacing the trio of Sturm, Mackie Samoskevich and Jesper Boqvist.
And on Friday, they showed their worth. Their physical presence helped slow down the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they chipped in offensively with a key goal during the second period, a frame in which the Panthers finally looked like themselves for perhaps the first time all series. It was a critical reason why Florida won 5-4 in overtime to get to within 2-1 in the best-of-7 second-round series.
And it’s a critical reason why they’re back in the lineup for Game 4 on Sunday.
“It felt like we needed a style change,” Maurice said. “They play a different style, but they’ve been good … exceptionally well. I thought if Tomas was coming in, or A.J. was coming in, well, all three needed to come in. There’s something there with that line.”
That was evident throughout the regular season. Greer, Nosek and Gadjovich were on the ice together for 193:40 at five-on-five during the regular season. In that span, the Panthers controlled 60.22 percent of shot attempts and allowed just three goals while leading the opposition in shots on goal (88-66), expected goals (10.45-5.74), scoring chances (97-63) and high-danger chances (48-29).
On Friday, the Greer-Nosek-Gadjovich line held the Maple Leafs scoreless during their time on the ice together and scored Florida’s final goal of the second period when Nosek’s shot from the high slot deflected off Gadjovich, who was charging at the net. It capped a three-goal flurry over an 11-minute stretch that turned a 3-1 deficit briefly into a 4-3 lead.
“The biggest thing for us was just having no hesitation out there,” Greer said.
They were ready for the moment, too. The coaching staff pushes the players who don’t make the gameday lineup just as hard as those who will be on the ice. The players know the onus is on them to be ready for any situation. Injuries, suspensions, a needed style change can happen on a whim during the postseason.
“Everyone’s committed here to winning, and everyone’s committed to doing their part in this job here,” Greer said. “It’s being able to stay on top of things and perfecting your game and doing the exact same things you could do in the regular season when you’re in the lineup or you’re out of the lineup. Bring that edge when you are in the lineup and be a difference maker. I think that’s one of the biggest things that we did was we set the tone. We were given a job. We did exactly what we needed to do — just being able to be relied upon when called.”
Added Nosek: “It’s not always easy to not play the game for a long time, especially in the playoffs. They did a pretty good job of keeping us in shape, and I didn’t feel any weakness or shortness of breath or anything like that. I’ve been trying to stay ready and wait for my chance.”
And Gadjovich: “The coaches are so great with us, the guys that aren’t playing,. We push it, we push it in the gym, push it on the ice, so that if we get called, we will be ready and that’s what happened.”
Their work doesn’t go unnoticed by their teammates, and the camaraderie in the dressing room is evident. After the win on Friday, veteran forward Brad Marchand, who scored the game-winning goal late in overtime, handed the game puck to Nosek, citing how his line was a game changer when the Panthers perhaps needed it the most.
“It’s a show of respect,” Maurice said, “because we’re all very aware of what those guys do when they’re not in the lineup in terms of just physical effort they put into staying ready, staying sharp. They appreciate that. There’s a respect there for those guys, and then when something good happens for them — and doesn’t matter when, playoffs or not — but if a guy on your fourth fine scores a goal, it’s big deal.”
Added forward Carter Verhaeghe: “They just work so hard out there, and they turned the tide for our team [Friday]. … We are such a deep team, and are fortunate to have those kind of guys come in and make such a big impact in a playoff game.’’
Nosek said it was a “nice feeling” to get that recognition.
What’s more important is building on it as the Panthers try to get back into this series.
“The most important thing overall is to get the win,” Nosek said. “We try to focus on helping the team.”
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