The Florida Panthers enter Game 6 against the Boston Bruins on Friday up 3-2 in the series. They dropped the first game by a lopsided score of 5-1, but after rattled off three straight wins, outscoring the Bruins 15 to five in that span and taking a stranglehold of the series. Unfortunately, they could not close out the series at home on Tuesday as they dropped Game 5 2-1. As a result, they must return to TD Garden and attempt to finish off the series once again. On the bright side, they do have a 4-2 record on the road and have won their last five playoff games in Boston. They must do it once again, or they could give the Bruins momentum to take the series back.
Panthers Were in the Same Situation Against Bruins Last Spring
Last summer, the Cats were in the exact situation the Bruins are facing, albeit in the first round. Entering Game 5 in Boston, the Cats were down 3-1 and were on the brink of elimination. But thanks to a heroic overtime goal from Matthew Tkachuk, they forced a Game 6. Afterward, he had some bold words for his team that came true.
“Boys, remember this room, we’ll be back for seven.”
Matthew Tkachuk to his locker room after winning Game 5 in 2023.
Indeed, the team went on to win Game 6 in front of a home crowd. Two nights later, they completed what was arguably the biggest upset in NHL history as Carter Verhaeghe put the Bruins to bed in overtime in Game 7.
Related: Bruins Desperation and Defensive Effort Help Them Force Game 6
That moment is still burning in the brains of the Boston locker room. They will look to give the Cats a taste of their own medicine and try to win three straight.
Other Teams Nearly Pulled off Upsets This Postseason
The second round has been dragged out a little longer than expected as teams have been unable to close series out quickly. The New York Rangers finished off their opponent in the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday but the Hurricanes went down swinging as they won two in a row to force a Game 6 back in Raleigh.
The Dallas Stars took a 3-1 series lead against the Colorado Avalanche on May 13 but they could not finish the job at home as they dropped Game 5 by a score of 5-3; Game 6 goes in Denver on Friday night. The Panthers have some company in being unable to put the series away.
If the Panthers Fail, It Will Be a Long Offseason
The possibility of the Panthers not being able to get the job done is still on the table. If the Bruins were to win the next two games, the offseason for Florida could be a long and disastrous one. They will have a ton of free agents entering the summer, including forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Brandon Montour.
Related: Bruins Edge Panthers in Game 5, Fend Off Elimination
In addition, they will most likely miss out on re-signing rental pieces Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo. The team could be completely different for next season and have not nearly the same amount of talent as they did in the past. But with a potential collapse in the postseason of this magnitude in their heads? The changes could be cataclysmic.
Bottom Line: Get it Done
Regardless, the team has a big task at hand, and that is to get the second round finished. If they do, it will be the second-straight season squad has reached the Eastern Conference Final.
But the playoffs have always been anything but easy. Momentum can change on a dime, as shown by the Panthers’ success last season in their run to the Stanley Cup Final. If they want to have their second chance at Lord Stanley’s holy grail, they need to stop the Bruins from forcing the series to a Game 7.
