Down 3-0, ‘it looks bleak’ for top-seeded Panthers

The Florida Panthers’ postseason is formally on life help after they fell 5-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Sport 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff collection on Sunday.

Tampa Bay now leads the best-of-seven collection 3-0, and may eradicate the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers with a victory in Monday’s Sport 4.

“They’ve extra will and extra need than we do,” Florida coach Andrew Brunette stated. “We’re a very good group when (our) backs are towards the wall, and it seems to be bleak. Hopefully, we are able to discover some vitality and a few ardour and a few pleasure.”

Solely 4 groups in NHL historical past have come again to win a playoff collection after trailing 3-0. If Florida cannot produce a victory, the Panthers will grow to be the primary regular-season factors chief (122) to be swept from the playoffs since, mockingly, the 2019 Lightning have been despatched packing by Columbus of their first-round collection.

Since then, Tampa Bay has received two consecutive Stanley Cups. And the Lightning have appeared each bit like champions in shutting down Florida’s once-potent offensive assault.

The Panthers have scored just one objective in every of the collection’ first three video games, an impotence in stark distinction to their regular-season dominance, once they averaged a league-high 4.11 objectives per sport. Florida was by no means shut out both, and registered only one objective solely 3 times.

In every of these outings — all losses — the Panthers additionally allowed 4 or extra objectives towards. That is been the case in two of the three losses to Tampa as properly.

“It is on us,” ahead Jonathan Huberdeau stated. “I’ve acquired to be higher. Each man can perform a little bit higher, play extra of our sport. Giving them the puck, that is what they’re ready for. They are a good group. They only await us to make errors and so they benefit of it.”

Florida was practically not on this place in any respect. The Panthers have been dealt a dagger in Sport 2 when Lightning ahead Ross Colton broke a 1-1 tie with lower than 4 seconds remaining in regulation to rob Florida of an opportunity at time beyond regulation.

The Panthers had two days off — a rarity this early within the postseason — to regroup. Nonetheless, Florida trailed Sport 3 off the bat when Corey Perry opened scoring with a first-period tip previous Sergei Bobrovsky.

Then, a beacon of hope.

Sam Reinhart responded lower than three minutes later with Florida’s lone objective that lastly broke the Panthers’ unhealthy luck on the facility play. They have been the one postseason group left to not capitalize with an additional man, getting into Sport 3 0-for-25 on the person benefit.

Whereas his marker did not spark Florida’s offense, Reinhart was hopeful the short turnaround to Sport 4 could be an asset.

“You don’t need a lot time in these conditions to consider it an excessive amount of,” he stated. “You simply need to go on the market, play and placed on a greater efficiency.”

Florida will want extra from its high gamers to realize that. Huberdeau assisted on Reinhart’s objective and has solely two helpers this collection. Aleksander Barkov has no objectives and one help. Ditto for Claude Giroux. Bobrovsky made 31 saves on Sunday and has a strong .908 SV% within the collection; it simply hasn’t been sufficient.

Huberdeau, at the very least, is attempting now to maintain the Panthers’ mountain forward in perspective.

“We will present up (Monday), win a sport, and it is a completely different collection,” he stated. “We all know we are able to do it. We’ve that sort of group.”

To do this, Florida must resolve Tampa Bay netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy. The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner has been sensational on this collection and was once more on Sunday, turning apart 34 photographs. Huberdeau registered solely a kind of however was optimistic somebody from Florida may break Vasilevskiy down.

“He is an incredible goalie,” Huberdeau stated. “However finally he will let one in that is going to assist us.”

That is the Panthers’ solely path now to an odds-defying comeback.

“It is 3-0. Who cares?” Huberdeau stated. “We will come again.”