Florida Panthers Not Phased By Game Four Loss

Sunrise, FL – The Florida Panthers are probably less concerned about their game four loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning than you are.

Sure, there were things they didn’t like about their performance in the 6-3 loss in downtown Tampa Saturday night. They were certainly disappointed they couldn’t put away their in-state rival with a first-round sweep. But still, the demeanor of head coach Paul Maurice and his players has remained largely unchanged from when they were up 3-0 in the series.

Head coach Paul Maurice addresses the media and breaks down Saturday's loss in Tampa. 🎙 pic.twitter.com/YThAav9aK7

— Bally Sports Florida: Panthers (@BallyPanthers) April 28, 2024

“You know, what’s interesting is the shift outside of the room is always far greater than the shift in the room,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said after Saturday’s game. “We did what we needed to do at home. We won the first two games. Then we did what we needed to do on the road. We split. We got three and you want to win that fourth one, but they’ve got a pretty good team over there.”

The Panthers allowed the Lightning to get out to a 3-0 lead in the first period in Saturday’s game four loss. In the first three games of the series, Florida allowed one goal on 17 combined shots in the first period. 

While the Panthers have largely neutralized Tampa Bay’s league-leading power play in the first three games with an 83.3 percent penalty kill rate, the Lightning went 2-for-5 on Saturday with the man advantage. The Bolts also scored a short-handed goal and another goal 4-on-4, both in the first period.

After practice on Sunday, Maurice said the team looked too passive in their loss.

“You’re gonna lose in the playoffs, too,” Maurice said. “And then you’ve got to handle it. So, it’s going to look like that when you lose. We talk all the time about handling your day. So today, we need to deal with the video from last night. And that is done, and then we move on. I’m looking forward to getting that one going and seeing us come out.”

One thing that Maurice has lauded the team for throughout the series is the players’ ability to have good dialogue and energy on the bench.

It might’ve been the reason the Panthers were able to get back in the game in the second period Saturday. The Cats rattled off three goals from Carter Verhaeghe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Sam Reinhart in the second frame to get within one. 

“I think it doesn’t really matter if we’re down two or three goals, or up two,” Ekman-Larsson said after practice Sunday. “Nothing really changes on our bench. I think everybody’s pushing each other and helping each other out and being positive. Obviously the ceiling is high, too, in that room so that we can bark a little bit. But it’s because we want to get better and want to get that win.”

That accountability and desire to get better is what the Swedish defenseman heard about the Panthers when he signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract last offseason.

After struggling with multiple foot injuries with the Vancouver Canucks the two previous seasons, the 32-year-old is thriving with Florida. He said the reason for the team’s success through the course of the season is because of the belief in the system.

“We believe in the way that we’re playing,” Ekman-Larsson said. “So we know when we get off that a little bit, it’s gonna be a tough night to win that game. But still, we’re still in it. But I think that goes without saying that we have a lot of confidence in that room. And we want to get back to that tomorrow.” 

Ekman-Larsson said the potent second period can provide a confidence boost going forward despite the non-ideal loss. 

“I thought we were pushing back in the second,” Ekman-Larsson said. “We’re down three to nothing, and it’s not a spot that we want to be in. But we never quit. We kept fighting and kept pushing back. So I mean, that’s just the team that we are. We never give up and we just keep going no matter what.”

The Panthers get another chance to close out the series at 7 p.m. Monday at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

See you tonight at @AmerantArena!#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/zU7iogqCOU

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 29, 2024