The Panthers manage to stay alive for a Game 6!
This is one of those moments where it feels kind of like when an actor wins an award they weren’t expecting to win and aren’t really sure what to say when they get up to the podium.
I really didn’t think there would be a Game 6 blog, and because of this, I don’t have a ton to say.
Seriously. I thought the Panthers 2022-23 story was going to come to an end in Boston at the conclusion of Game 5. And I especially thought this with seconds left in the third when Marchand was on a breakaway…and then again a split second after that when it looked like Ekblad was going to push the puck into his own net after Bob’s incredible game-saving stop on said Marchand’s breakaway.
However, the Cats’ fate was not to be sealed that night, as they would go on to win in heart-stopping action of OT when Matthew Tkachuk scored off a fluky play in Boston’s end.
And so the music plays on…
Florida is kind of like Mr. Magoo in this series. They are seemingly blind to their own pitfalls, constantly making the same mistakes and putting themselves in dangerous situations and coming so close to total disaster, only to somehow get out of it and live on.
I have never seen a team take so many penalties in the playoffs and somehow still be in it. In five games, Florida has given Boston — the best team in NHL history — 17 Power Plays. That’s an average of 3.4 opportunities on the man advantage for the Bruins per game.
Surprisingly, Florida’s PK has done better than I thought when I look at the numbers related to Boston converting:
Game 1: 1/2
Game 2: 1/4
Game 3: 0/2
Game 4: 1/4
Game 5: 2/5
But it’s still maddening/scary every time the Cats put the Bruins on the PP — especially when it comes to those completely unnecessary/stupid penalties…
For all the mistakes, blunders, and underperformances there has been on Florida’s end throughout this series, there has been some positives sprinkled in along the way. The two that stick out to me are:
1. Capitalizing on Turnovers
For as strong of a team as Boston has been this season, they have had a strange issue with turning the puck over — on home ice in particular. In an even stranger twist, Florida has actually taken advantage of these mistakes and turned them into high-quality offensive opportunities with many turning into goals.
This is an interesting phenomenon because the Cats really didn’t do this during the regular season, yet…they seem to have figured it out at the right time. Let’s hope they can keep this up.
2. Goaltending
Lyon was the catalyst to getting Florida into the postseason and did a good job in his run against Boston. When Bob took over as the starter in Game 4, there was obvious rust that showed in his rebound control. However, he wasn’t the reason the Panthers lost. In fact, he made a lot of good saves in that outing.
I will admit that I had my doubts going with Bob in Game 5 but I was quickly silenced. It was
obvious from early on that he was in the zone. Turning away 44 of 47 shots, Bob looked like the Bob of old and the guy Florida needs going forward.
Quick Keys for Tonight
1. Barkov HAS to get going. He needs to score.
2. Ekblad HAS to keep it simple
3. Boston owned Florida in the dot, winning 67.3% of their faceoffs to Florida’s 37.7%. I know Bergeron is one of the best in the business in this area but the Cats have to figure out a way to keep these numbers closer to each other so that they can control/setup the play
4. Keep bringing that aggressive forecheck and hot energy the whole 60 minutes. The Panthers are at their best when it’s 5-on-5 and they have Boston on their heels via a relentless forecheck that causes turnovers
6. Need Bob to be Bob
7. Be better on home ice
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We’re living on borrowed time here…Go Panthers!
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