A Panthers strength has been on display in the playoffs. They need it to continue
The Florida Panthers turned one of their biggest weaknesses last season into one of their biggest assets this season.
The Panthers made a concerted effort this offseason to improve their penalty kill, arguably the weakest unit on their team that made an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Finding the right personnel — both internally and externally — to bolster that group was pivotal.
It’s safe to say the Panthers accomplished that goal and will need to continue seeing success on that front as they get deeper into the playoffs.
“We’ve been really good,” Stenlund said. “We’ve been steady, staying in lanes.”
As the Panthers enter Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers on Sunday, Florida has killed off 88.1-percent of their opponents’ power play opportunities, allowing just five goals on 42 power-play opportunities. Four of those goals came in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Florida has killed off 24 of its past 25 penalties, including going a perfect 6 for 6 so far against a Rangers team that entered the conference final scoring on 31.4 percent of its power-play opportunities.
“It’s predicated on pressure,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “At the end of the day, that’s one of the top power plays in the league. We’re just trying to find a way to limit their chances.”
Florida has done that all season.
Adding new players whose skillsets thrive on the penalty kill help as well.
The Panthers had nine players log at least 117 minutes on the penalty kill during the regular season. Four of them were acquired this offseason in forward Kevin Stenlund and defensemen Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. They rounded out Florida’s core of forwards Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Eetu Luostarinen plus defensemen Gustav Forsling and Ekblad — in addition stellar goaltending — to turn the Panthers into one of the top penalty killing teams in the league.
The Panthers boasted the sixth-best penalty kill in the league during the regular season with an 82.5-percent success rate one year after finishing 23rd in that category with a 76-percent success rate.
It has continued in the playoffs and particularly been on display as of late in the postseason.
Through two games of the Eastern Conference final, the Panthers have held a potent Rangers power play to just 10 shots on goal and four high-danger chances on their six power plays.
“There haven’t been long power-play flurries where you’re under siege,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “They had one good shot off the flank last game, but the penalty kill for both teams has been outstanding.”
This and that
▪ The Panthers are keeping their lineup the same as the first two games of the series.
▪ Maurice on the approach heading into Game 3: “There are times when you kind of need stop the bleeding or cut things off. In that time, you just want to play as simple a game as possible. Just drop your risk profile right down, so nothing through the middle, nothing that you can’t control in terms of where the puck goes. Then you’re just patient in the game. Not passive, just patient.”
