How one key play highlighted three under-the-radar Panthers to start the conference final
The play was executed perfectly, even if Paul Maurice never wants to see it again.
As center Tomas Nosek drove down the ice through the neutral zone on the boards early in the second period of the Florida Panthers’ Eastern Conference final opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, Niko Mikkola tapped his stick on the ice calling for the pass. Nosek obliged, sliding the puck to the defenseman in the middle of the ice as they entered the offensive zone.
Mikkola used his stick to work around Carolina defenseman Scott Morrow and send a slick pass across the crease to winger A.J. Greer, who fired a one-timer past Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen 3:33 into the middle frame.
The play was pivotal. It gave Florida a two-goal lead in their eventual 5-2 win and stunted any chance for the Hurricanes to steal momentum after scoring in the final seconds of the first period.
As for the play itself? It’s one Maurice doesn’t care for. Passes to the inside at the blue line are risky. If it isn’t executed properly, it can result in an easy takeaway and clear breakaway for the opponent.
“I got mocked heavily on the bench for that goal,” Maurice said with a smile postgame. “It was a wonderful inside play to Mikkola at the line, which I abhor. We’re going to do everything we can to never see that again.”
Added Nosek: “If you make those plays, you have to make it. If you don’t, then you get in trouble.”
Nevertheless, the play highlighted three under-the-radar players who have been critical for this Panthers team on their latest deep playoff run.
Nosek and his second chance
Nosek’s season with the Panthers hasn’t been the smoothest.
He got injured early in training camp and didn’t play his first game until Nov. 1. He held his own as Florida’s fourth-line center and a key player on the penalty kill but dropped out of the lineup after the team acquired Nico Sturm at the trade deadline.
But injuries and Florida opting to rest players down the stretch of the regular season gave Nosek a second chance to show he can make an impact for the Panthers when it matters most.
And since rejoining the lineup full-time in Game 3 of Florida’s second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has stepped up. Nosek has three assists and has a plus-minus rating of plus-5.
On three separate occasions, he has had to move up in the lineup midgame — twice because of injury (Evan Rodrigues in Game 4 against Toronto and Anton Lundell in Game 7 against Toronto) and once because of an ejection (Brad Marchand in Game 1 against Carolina).
“It’s a credit to him because that’s a tough situation,” Maurice said. “His play was fine all year, and then we were looking to improve our penalty kill, we made a trade and kind of cost him his job for a little while. But to his credit, he kept working. ... I think he probably also kind of looked at it like a second chance to maybe — I don’t think he took it for granted at first, but certainly he didn’t take it for granted when he came back in.”
Mikkola the ‘Condor’
Mikkola is a big-bodied defenseman at 6-6 and 204 pounds, which has brought out a new nickname: The Condor.
“Bird of prey,” Maurice said. “More of a scavenger.”
Mikkola has been a steady presence in Florida’s lineup ever since he signed a three-year deal ahead of the 2023-24 season. He was known more for his defensive prowess than offensive skill up to that point in his career.
But once he got to Florida, the offensive numbers have seen an uptick while his defense has remained steady.
He logged 39 points (nine goals, 30 assists) the past two regular seasons after having just 23 total points (five goals, 18 assists) in his first four-plus seasons in the NHL.
“It’s the agility,” Maurice said. “[His previous teams] played completely different games than we played. Then he gets here, and he’s up the ice all the time. ... His straight-line speed is incredible.”
So, too, is his relationship with his teammates. While Mikkola comes off as quiet in public settings, he’s constantly chatting on the bench. Sometimes it’s going over the previous shift. Other times, it’s just joking around.
“Sometimes I don’t even know what he’s saying,” fellow defenseman Gustav Forsling said, “but he’s always coming back to the bench saying something, and it’s hilarious.”
Added defenseman Aaron Ekblad: “I always find myself chuckling when he comes back to the bench and he’s yelling about something.”
And they marvel at his skill set as well.
“He’s such a complete defenseman,” forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “If I was on the other team, I definitely wouldn’t like playing against him. He has such a long reach, good stick and he’s a good skater.”
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Greer adding to Panthers’ identity
And then there’s Greer, who brings a perfect blend of physicality and offensive pop to fit exactly what Maurice wants in a fourth-line forward.
He led the Panthers in the regular season with 222 hits while setting or matching career highs in goals (six), assists (11) and points (17).
Greer has points in three of Florida’s past four games while still showcasing his brute force on the ice (33 hits in nine games).
“There’s an identity on that fourth line. Whether you’re in or you’re out you know how to play,’’ Greer said. “You know that you’re going to get a call and you’re going to have to be ready. It was a big moment in my career to get that first playoff game under my belt. I just want to come in and help the team as much as possible. ... You know what your job is. The more I get into it, it just becomes another game. It’s the best time of year and it’s stuff that you dream about. I’m very grateful.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM.
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