The Florida Panthers are in the Eastern Conference final. What to know about the matchup
The Florida Panthers have already taken down in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Now, they have a return trip to the Eastern Conference final.
Their opponent: The New York Rangers.
The series begins on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers will also host Games 2, 5 (if necessary) and 7 (if necessary). Florida will host Games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary) at Amerant Bank Arena.
“It’s playoff hockey in New York. It’s a dream,” star Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “I mean, MSG, on the road, is my favorite rink to play in just because of the history and everything that has to do with the city of New York. It’s a great city. They love their sports. It’s going to be such a great atmosphere. I mean, to play a conference final at MSG, that’s just so cool. We’re excited to start that on Wednesday.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.
How did the Panthers and Rangers advance to the Eastern Conference final?
The Panthers beat the Lightning in five games, going up 3-0 in the series before dropping Game 4 in Tampa and then pulling out a series-clinching 6-1 win in Game 5 on Monday. In Round 2, Florida took a 3-1 series lead against Boston before dropping Game 5 and rallying to win Game 6.
The Rangers, who won the Presidents’ Trophy this season, swept the Washington Capitals in the first round before beating the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the second round.
When will the games be played?
The full schedule is as follows:
▪ Game 1: Wednesday, New York’s Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+
▪ Game 2: Friday, New York’s Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+
▪ Game 3: Sunday, May 26, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena, 3 p.m., ABC, ESPN+
▪ Game 4: Tuesday, May 28, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+
▪ Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, May 30, New York’s Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+
▪ Game 6 (if necessary): Saturday, June 1, Sunrise’s Amerant Bank Arena, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN+
▪ Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, June 3, New York’s Madison Square Garden, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPN+
How did the Panthers and Rangers fare in the playoffs last year?
The Panthers went from the last team to qualify in the Eastern Conference to making a run all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Florida beat Boston in seven games, Toronto in five games and the Hurricanes in four games to get to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Rangers were the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan division and lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils in the first round.
How did the regular-season series between the Panthers and Rangers unfold?
The Panthers went 2-0-1 against the Rangers during the regular season.
Florida won 4-3 on Dec. 29 in Sunrise as part of its season-long nine-game win streak and 4-2 on March 4 in New York. The lone defeat was a 4-3 shootout loss on March 23 in New York.
Who are the Panthers players to watch?
▪ Aleksander Barkov: The Panthers’ captain has 13 points (five goals, eight assists), leads the team with three game-winning goals, and has been stellar on both ends of the ice.
▪ Gustav Forsling: The defenseman is tied with Colorado’s Josh Manson for the lead in plus-minus rating (plus-8) so far this postseason.
▪ Sergei Bobrovsky: The All-Star goaltender and Vezina Trophy finalist is 8-3 with a 2.37 goals against average in the playoffs.
Who are the Rangers players to watch?
▪ Igor Shesterkin: The star goaltender is 8-2 in the playoffs with a .923 save percentage and 2.40 goals against average.
▪ Vincent Trocheck: The former Panthers winger is tied for the team lead with 14 points (six goals, eight assists), with eight of his points (four goals, four assists) coming on the power play.
▪ Chris Kreider: The forward leads the Rangers with seven goals, three of which came in the third period of the Rangers’ Game 6 win over the Hurricanes.
Who would the winner of the Panthers-Rangers matchup face in the Stanley Cup Finals?
The winner of the Panthers-Rangers series would face one of the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers or Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche in six games to reach the Western Conference final, while the Canucks are up 3-2 on the Oilers in their second-round series entering Game 6 on Saturday.
