3 Keys: Rangers at Panthers, Game 3 of Eastern Conference Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers will look to rebound, and the New York Rangers will attempt to construct momentum when the groups meet in Recreation 3 of the Jap Convention Last at Amerant Financial institution Area on Sunday.

One of the best-of-7 sequence is tied after the Panthers gained 3-0 in Recreation 1 on at Madison Sq. Backyard on Wednesday and the Rangers responded with a 2-1 extra time victory in Recreation 2 there Friday. Having break up the primary two video games on the highway, Florida feels assured heading again to Amerant Financial institution Area for the subsequent two video games. 

The Panthers are 4-2 at dwelling within the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and 3-0 total within the postseason in video games following losses.

“We knew it was going to be a tricky sequence,” Panthers ahead Nick Cousins stated. “They, clearly, feed off their crowd. They play properly at dwelling and so can we. So, talking for everyone in there, we’re sort of excited to get again in entrance of our followers and get in entrance of that crowd. I like our staff at dwelling.”

The Rangers are driving a excessive after Barclay Goodrow scored at 14:01 of extra time Friday to tie the sequence. New York is also comfy on the highway after going 4-1 away from Madison Sq. Backyard within the first two rounds.

“It’s fairly apparent that you simply get an power enhance to come back down right here after a win like that and we even the sequence up,” Rangers ahead Mika Zibanejad stated. “We get an opportunity to play not very lengthy after and we’ll attempt to hold the momentum.”

Groups that lead 2-1 in a best-of-7 playoff sequence have a sequence document of 386-173 (.691).

Listed below are 3 keys for Recreation 3:

1. Maintain forecheck

The Panthers used their forecheck to stress the Rangers and management possession for a lot of the primary two durations of Recreation 1, after they outshot them 18-12. Recreation 2 was extra forwards and backwards with every staff utilizing its forecheck to generate scoring possibilities and sustained offensive-zone stress throughout completely different occasions within the recreation.

Establishing and sustaining the forecheck will seemingly be an vital consider Recreation 3 as properly.

“I believe that we made some higher choices with the puck, which helped result in the forecheck in Recreation 2,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette stated. “So, I believe that’s vital that we’re enjoying a recreation that’s good towards them as a result of they’re a staff that may flip it again on you actually fast, they usually do. They play quick they usually play lengthy and in the event you make a mistake, it’s coming again the opposite manner.”

2. Energy-play shift

After their energy play was a big issue within the first spherical towards the Washington Capitals (6-for-16, 37.5 %) and the primary two video games of the second spherical towards the Carolina Hurricanes (4-for-9, 44.4 %), the Rangers are 1-for-16 (6.25 %) with the man-advantage of their previous six video games. 

New York went 0-for-6 within the first two video games towards Florida, together with 0-for-4 with six photographs on purpose in Recreation 2. The Rangers have been in a position to prevail Friday regardless of the Panthers going 1-for-2 on the ability play, however know they should enhance in that space.

“They’re checking quite a bit,” Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson stated. “They’re coming with all 4 guys, so it’s onerous. We’ve bought to make quick, fast performs. Clearly, it’s not going to be fairly, however placing the puck to the web isn’t a nasty choice even when it’s only a wrist shot from the blue line or from the nook, no matter. Now we have probably the greatest guys (ahead Chris Kreider) in [front of the net].”

The Rangers (88.4 %) and Panthers (88.1 %) have been glorious on the penalty kill all through the playoffs. Florida has killed 24 of 25 energy performs (96 %) over its previous 9 video games after going 13-for-17 (76.5 %) in its first 4 postseason video games.

“We’ve been actually good,” Panthers ahead Kevin Stenlund stated. “We’ve been staying in lanes. There haven’t been [many] penalties from our facet, which helps.” 

3. Improved offensive execution

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin (51 saves on 53 photographs, one personal purpose) and Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (52 saves on 54 photographs) have been tough to beat within the first two video games, and every staff defended properly, so there haven’t numerous high quality scoring possibilities towards them. The Rangers had an 13-11 benefit in high-danger photographs on purpose within the first two video games, in accordance with NHL EDGE puck and participant monitoring.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice believes each groups may create extra offensively, although, with higher execution.

“I believe you’re going to get flurries of it,” Maurice stated. “Each groups are fairly good defensive groups. Their gaps are good. Their sticks are good. And now, even in the event you have been simply an offensive staff, it’s the convention finals, so all people’s blocking photographs, all people’s doing all of the onerous issues. So, I believe you’re going to see the sport will break free for 5 or 6 minutes. … Even going by final evening for each groups, there’s passes which are being missed or perhaps at occasions even nearly too protected a play. And I believe that may ebb and circulation slightly bit in recreation.”

Rangers projected lineup

Chris Kreider — Mika Zibanejad — Filip Chytil

Artemi Panarin — Vincent Trocheck — Alexis Lafreniere

Jack Roslovic — Alex Wennberg — Kaapo Kakko

Will Cuylle — Barclay Goodrow — Matt Rempe

Ryan Lindgren — Adam Fox

Ok’Andre Miller — Jacob Trouba

Erik Gustafsson — Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin

Jonathan Fast

Scratched: Zac Jones, Chad Ruhwedel, Jonny Brodzinski, Adam Edstrom, Blake Wheeler, Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Ben Harpur, Dylan Garand, Jake Leschyshyn, Connor Mackey, Victor Mancini, Brennan Othmann, Tyler Pitlick, Matthew Robertson, Brandon Scanlin, Adam Sykora

Injured: Jimmy Vesey (higher physique)

Panthers projected lineup

Vladimir Tarasenko — Aleksander Barkov — Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe — Anton Lundell — Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen — Sam Bennett — Evan Rodrigues

Ryan Lomberg — Kevin Stenlund — Nick Cousins

Gustav Forsling — Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola — Brandon Montour

Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Dmitry Kulikov

Sergei Bobrovsky

Anthony Stolarz

Scratched: Steven Lorentz, Kyle Okposo, Tobias Bjornfot, Uvis Balinskis, Josh Mahura, Jonah Gadjovich, Spencer Knight, Rasmus Asplund, Mike Benning, Magnus Hellberg, Matt Kiersted, William Lockwood, Mackie Samoskevich, Justin Sourdif

Injured: None

Standing report

Neither staff will maintain a morning skate with the three p.m. ET begin. … Vesey is out week to week after the ahead was injured on a success by Ryan Lomberg within the second interval of Recreation 2. … Kakko and Wheeler are among the many choices to interchange Vesey. Kakko was a wholesome scratch for the primary time in these playoffs in Recreation 2. Wheeler hasn’t performed since sustaining a lower-body harm towards the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 15, however the 37-year-old was cleared for contact Could 13 and stated earlier than the sequence started that he was able to play. … New York recalled forwards Belzile, Berard, Blidh, Leschyshyn, Othmann, Pitlick and Sykora; defensemen Harpur, Mackey, Mancini, Robertson and Scanlin; and Garand, a goalie, from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Saturday as extras for its playoff roster.