Dave Hyde: Aleksander Barkov needs to join the series if Florida Panthers have a chance vs. Bruins

So here’s what you think as expectations matched reality in Game 3, as everything looked easier for the Boston Bruins, as the Florida Panthers struggled for shots, as goalie Alex Lyon’s wonderful story hit a bump and enough string was strung through three games to see who is and what isn’t this series:

Is this all you get from Aleksander Barkov?

It’s not just that his line, the Panthers’ top line, was outshot 5-0 in the Panther’s 4-2 loss in Game 3 Friday night. It’s not just Boston’s second goal came when Charlie Coyle got free of Barkov in front of the net and tipped the puck past Lyon.

It’s not just that Barkov had one shot in the first eight periods of this series before tacking on three after the Panthers pulled their goalie in Friday’s third period.

It’s not just that he had no goals and one assist last year when Panthers were swept by Tampa Bay in the second round.

It’s not just any of that. It’s all of it.

It’s the sketchy picture coming as he goes through another playoffs. He’s 27. He’s in his 10th NHL season. So he’s been around enough to learn everything necessary, still be in his full prime and understand how stars can take over series the playoffs, like the John Tavares once did with the New York Islanders against the Panthers.

At the very least they contribute as needed.

“I’m not worried about him,” coach Paul Maurice said. “The coach needs to find the right combination to get him going.”

There are more questions, of course, with the Panthers down 2-1 this series and needing Sunday’s Game 4. Boston’s dominant penalty kill kept the Panthers to one shot on two power plays Friday. The starting goalie is now an issue as Lyon was replaced with Sergei Bobrovsky after Boston star David Pastrnak beat him on a breakaway to make it 3-0 in the third period.

“Sometimes good things happen,” Lyon said. “Sometimes unfortunate things happen. You’ve got to keep focus and keep moving forward.”

Any chance the Panthers have to move forward and pull even in Sunday reverts to the simple idea of your best players playing their best. Barkov is the Panthers’ best player. But here’s the question they’re starting to whisper in hockey: Does a career built on quiet humility need a mean gene come the playoffs?

The closest he’s edged toward that was when he came to the defense of teammate Anton Lundell after Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy hit him late in the third period. It was 4-0 at that point so the night was gone.

Barkov wrapped up McAvoy, effectively bear-hugging him to the ice and going to the penalty box for it. The Panthers then got a short-handed goal, their first of the night. Barkov then came back in the game and, with the goalie pulled, put in a shot from the blue line that rattled around for a while before Sam Reinhart knocked in the net.

That late push was too late to save the night. The question of this series turns to health, too. Boston played Friday without its top two centers as David Krejci joined Patrice Bergeron on the injured list. The Panthers top defenseman, Aaron Ekblad, left the game after a collision, returned briefly and then left it again.

Who plays? And how well? The Panthers’ most impact this series has come from the second line with Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk. They were dominant in Game 2. They matched their Boston counterparts’ five shots in Game 3 as the Panthers otherwise struggled for offense until the game was settled.

Barkov’s line with Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart had no shots Friday night. None. They were shut down. Boston went to a strong defensive game plan without its top centers. It paid off, too.

“Those guys aren’t bad,” Maurice said of Boston. “I don’t know if you lost sight of that because we won Game 2.”

Everyone knows Boston is historically strong. Everyone also knows the only way to upset such a team is for top players to be at the top of their game. Sunday, in Game 4, it’s time for Barkov to join the series.