The Florida Panthers are down to their last five games in the regular season. They sit in second place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 48-24-5 with 101 points, trailing the Boston Bruins for the top spot by four points. Thanks to their victory on Thursday night, they have eclipsed 100 points for the third time in franchise history, with the first being in the 2015-16 season and the second being in the 2021-22 season.
With the season winding down, the seeding is nearly set for the madness this April. As of now, it’s projected to look as if Florida is going to play a team that starts with the letter “T”. That being either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Regardless, they have to deal with two heavy hitters in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Last playoffs, the Cats gave Toronto fans their wish, chanting “we want Florida,” as they advanced to the second round. But as the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.” Florida made the series against the Leafs look easy, taking them down by a series score of 4-1.
With the results of that brewing in the minds of Sheldon Keefe and his crew, they’ve taken their revenge out on them this regular season. Toronto is 2-1-0 against the Cats this season and dropped six goals on them on Tuesday. They have one meeting left on April 16 in Sunrise, which could be a first-round preview.
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This season, the Maple Leafs have been an absolute menace offensively. They sit third in the NHL in goals per game with 3.61 a game. Their man advantage is just as terrifying, with a 24.4% conversion rate on the power play, making for seventh-best in the league. Of course, it’s centered around the NHL’s leading goal-scoring leader, Auston Matthews, along with the skillsets of William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Also, Matthews has been a Panther killer, as he has 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) in 25 career games against them.
On the other hand, it’s a different story. The defense has not been that great, with 3.11 goals allowed per game and 29.9 shots allowed per game. Furthermore, their penalty kill has been killing them, with a 77.9% kill rate. If the Cats get their high-octane offense up and running on the Leafs, it could be a repeat of last postseason.
Tampa Bay Lightning
A few seasons ago, the Lightning and Panthers reignited the “Battle of Florida” with their out-of-hand games both in the regular season and playoffs. Historically, the Bolts have had the Panthers number in the postseason with two series victories, including a sweep in 2022.
The big brother on the other coast is starting to heat up at a perfect time. That could spell danger for not only the Panthers but the rest of the Eastern Conference. They’ve won eight of their last 10 and collected points in nine of those games. Offensively, they’re a juggernaut. Not only do they hone the league’s point leader in Nikita Kucherov with 133 points (43 goals, 90 assists), but they also lead the league on the power play with a 29.1% success rate and are fifth in the league in goals scored a game with 3.51 a game.
Unlike their division rival in Toronto, their defense has been above average. Despite being ranked 21st in goals allowed per game with 3.24 a game, they are 10th in the NHL in shots allowed per game with 29.4 a game and have the fifth-best penalty kill with an 83% kill rate.
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Florida has the defensive tools to get the job done, and its offense is no pushover, either. But given its history against this opponent, it needs to find a way to overcome past defeats or give the Lightning a headache.
Regardless, It’s a Tough Road
Either way, the playoffs are a gauntlet that was never meant to be easy. The Panthers have experienced that multiple times over the last few seasons, especially on their way to the Cup Final last summer.
In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. Regardless, Florida will have to defeat one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference to keep their season alive, especially if they want to lift Lord Stanley’s holy grail this June.
