The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in a relatively one-sided series. They lost Game Four but won the series in five games and outscored the Hurricanes 21-10 in the process. The Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in a row and have become the standard in the NHL. Until proven otherwise, this is the team to beat.
This team was always a sleeping giant in the NHL, and now that the organization has figured things out, they are a team that can’t be stopped. The Panthers win in multiple ways and play the right way for the playoffs, with physical play and the forecheck setting the tone.
It seems like there isn’t a team out there that can knock off the defending champs, or there isn’t a blueprint to beat the Panthers. That’s what the Edmonton Oilers will try to do, so there are a few things they’ll focus on with hopes of defeating the Panthers in the Final.
Key 1: Beat Bobrovsky?Traffic and pressure are musts
T?here were times when the Hurricanes looked like they solved Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. In Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final, Sebastian Aho beat him two off the rush. Quick shots got past the elite goaltender. The quick execution and swirling traffic will get to any goalie. The Hurricanes discovered it late, while the Toronto Maple Leafs discovered it early, winning Game One and Game Two by constantly firing the puck at Bobrovsky (then the pressure wore off as the series went on).
The team that faces the Panthers must fire quick shots and also apply constant pressure. The Hurricanes only did it in Game Five, but otherwise played their brand of hockey, where they valued possession and didn’t put the puck on the net. It’s why their offense fell flat. Don’t expect that to happen again, regardless of the team that makes it out of the Western Conference.
The other layer to beating Bobrovsky is to get the goals in the dirty areas. The loose pucks in front of the net are where teams must take advantage in the playoffs, and it’s what usually makes the difference in teams that advance and teams that don’t. With Bobrovsky, he’s out of position on the rebound and the second-chance shots, and it’s where teams that get the loose pucks and muscle them in will end up winning.
Key 2: Beat the Panthers at their own game
The Panthers love to force teams out of their comfort zone. They dared the Maple Leafs, a team that won with defense and goaltending this season, to play a high-flying and high-scoring series. They dared the Hurricanes to play physical while pushing up the pace, and it allowed them to control the series from start to finish.
Under head coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers play with the forecheck and physical play, setting the tone. They will play their style of hockey and force other teams to adapt. Once teams make adjustments, they can pivot to a more offensive-minded game and win that way as well.
The Hurricanes never adjusted, and they were done from Game One. The Oilers and Stars can adjust, and it’s why both teams will give the Panthers a tight series and possibly defeat them.
Key 3: Force Florida to the perimeter
On the defensive end of the ice, the key for the opposition is to force the Panthers to take tough shots from difficult angles. What makes Carter Verhaeghe a great scorer, or Sam Reinhart an excellent shooter, is their ability to find open looks from the slot or the high-danger areas. The teams that force the Panthers to the outer areas of the offensive zone have the best chance of stopping them.
The Oilers are doing that against the Stars, helping them take a 3-1 series lead into Thursday night’s contest. They’ll do the same against the Panthers. It’s one of the reasons they are the team best suited to knock off the Panthers. Even with a reconfigured defense, one that might be lucky to have Mattias Ekholm back for the Final, the Oilers have a group capable of limiting any offense, and they play with the structure needed to win those games.
Why the Panthers are still the favorites
The Panthers weren’t a juggernaut in the regular season. They finished the season with the third-best record in the Atlantic Division and opened every series on the road. It didn’t matter. The Panthers kicked things into another gear when the playoffs rolled around and proved they are the best team in the NHL until proven otherwise.
This is a team built with star power leading them but the depth to round out the roster. Evan Rodrigues is one of those players any team could have signed, yet the Panthers gave him a team-friendly deal, and he’s been a staple of the top-six. Brad Marchand only cost them a conditional first round pick, and he rounds out a third line centered by Anton Lundell.
The Panthers were built to become a modern dynasty, and that’s what they’ve become. They’ll have their hands full in the Stanley Cup Final but there aren’t many people betting against them. They could have picked up the Prince of Wales Trophy and carried it around the rink and they’d still earn our trust. Until a team can play their style of hockey and beat them, there’s no reason to assume they’ll lose.
