Panthers Pregamer Round 1, Game 5 vs. TBL

MAY 24, 2021 vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

2020-21 vs. TBL: 5-2-1
GAME 1 vs. TBL: FLA 4, TBL 5
GAME 2 vs. TBL: FLA 1, TBL 3
GAME 3 at TBL: FLA 6, TBL 5 [OT]
GAME 4 at TBL: FLA 2, TBL 6

PLAYOFFS TEAM STATS

	FLORIDA (1-3)	TAMPA BAY (3-1)
GOALS FOR	13 (T-5^th most)	19 (2^nd most)
GOALS AGAINST	19 (15^thfewest)	13 (T-11^th fewest)
POWER PLAY %	33.3 (4^th)	46.7 (2^nd)
PENALTY KILL %	53.3 (15^th)	66.7 (13^th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME	40.0 (2^nd)	31.5 (13^th)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME	31.5 (4^thfewest)	40.0 (15^th fewest)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	56.2 (4^th)	43.8 (13^th)
FACEOFF WIN %	50.6 (8^th)	49.4 (9^th)

CATS STATS

Florida looks to stave off elimination from the postseason and earn their second win of their first round series vs. TBL. FLA earned its first win of the playoffs in Game 3, tying a franchise record for goals in a playoff game (April 17 &22, 1996) with six tallies and earned their first OT victory in the postseason since May 12, 1996 at PHI.
FLA scored three unanswered goals in Game 3 at TBL to win in OT and tallied goals on each of its two power play opportunities in the game. Through four playoff games, 11 different Panthers players have scored for FLA, while the Cats have out-hit TBL 174- 151. Jonathan Huberdeau‘s eight points (2-6-8) in the series leads the Cats and matches the franchise record for total points in a series (8 points – Ray Sheppard, 1996 vs. BOS, Reilly Smith, 2016 vs. NYI).
The Panthers have scored at least two power play goals in each of their last two games, marking the second time in franchise history the club has scored multiple power play goals in consecutive playoff games and the first time since Games 2 and 3 of the 2012 ECQF (April 15 vs. NJD and April 17, 2012 at NJD). Jonathan Huberdeau leads the Cats with four power-play points. Nine different Panthers have recorded a power-play point (Barkov, Bennett, Hornqvist, Huberdeau, Tippett, Verhaeghe, Weegar, Wennberg, Yandle). FLA owns a 33.3 PP% (5-15) in the playoffs.
Aleksander Barkov recorded an assist in Game 4, his fourth consecutive game with a point in the series (1-4-5) and his eighth consecutive postseason game played with a point (2-7-9). Ranking second on FLA in playoff points (5), Barkov leads the club with 17 shots on goal. Over 14 career NHL postseason games with FLA, the 25-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, has amassed 12 points (5-7-12). Over 34 career regular season games vs. TBL, Barkov has logged 28 points (5-23-28), including a point-per-game average this season (1-7-8 in 8 GP). Including regular season games, Barkov has points in each of his last eight games (3-8-11).
Jonathan Huberdeau has produced multi-point efforts in each of his last two games (1-4-5). In Game 4 at TBL, Huberdeau notched both of his points on the power play (1-1-2), earning his eighth point of the series and tying the franchise record for points by a Panther in a playoff series. Huberdeau registered his second three-point game of the playoffs, notching three assists in Game 3 at TBL.
Huberdeau is the fifth Panthers player in franchise history to notch three assists in a playoff game and the third Panther to record multi-point efforts of at least three points in a single series, joining Ray Sheppard (April 17 &22, 1996) and Reilly Smith (April 14 &17, 2016).
Huberdeau’s team-leading eight points (2-6-8) through four postseason games ranks second in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Florida’s franchise leader for assists and points has recorded 14 points (4-10-14) over 14 career NHL postseason games. The native of Saint-Jerome, Quebec, ranks fourth in franchise history for playoff points and is tied for second in playoff assists. Huberdeau has produced 38 points (13-25-38) over 38 career regular season games vs. TBL, the most points he has registered against any NHL team. His point-per-game trend vs. TBL continued this season, logging seven points (3-4-7) over seven games against FLA’s cross-state rival.
Sam Bennett has produced points in each of his three postseason games played (1-3-4). Over 13 combined games in a Panthers uniform between regular season and playoffs, Bennett has produced 19 points (7-12-19), recording points in all but one game for FLA since April 17 at TBL. In his career in the playoffs, Bennett has produced 23 points (12-11-23) in 33 games.
Head Coach Joel Quenneville has won four Stanley Cups in his coaching career, with three won as Head Coach of CHI (2010, 2013, 2015). One of only 11 head coaches in NHL history to have won three Stanley Cups, Quenneville ranks third all-time for postseason wins by a head coach, earning his 120th career playoff win in Game 3 at TBL, moving four wins away of surpassing Al Arbour (123) for second all-time.
Ryan Lomberg scored FLA’s OT game-winner in Game 3 at TBL, becoming the first Panthers player to score a playoff OT goal since Mike Hough (Game 5, ECQF at PHI, May 12, 1996). The goal snapped an eight-game playoff winless streak in OT, dating back to June 10, 1996 (Game 4 vs. COL, SCF). The third Panther to ever record an OT playoff goal, joining Hough and Dave Lowry, Lomberg is the first Panthers rookie to score an OT playoff goal. Lomberg’s OT goal was scored on his first shot of the game. The 26-year-old has amassed 21 hits over FLA’s four postseason contests vs. TBL, the second-most hits on the Cats.
The Panthers have amassed 174 hits through four playoff games, with Radko Gudas leading the team with 28 hits. FLA logged 54 hits in Game 1 vs. TBL, marking the second-most hits in a single Panthers playoff game since the NHL began tracking hits in 2005-06 (60 – April 26, 2012 vs. NJD).
Owen Tippett registered two assists in Game 3 at TBL, marking his second multi-point effort of the postseason. Tippett is the only Panthers rookie to have ever produced multiple multi-point efforts in the playoffs. In Game 1, in his first career NHL playoff game, Florida’s 2017 1st round pick posted two points (1-1-2), becoming the first Panthers rookie to record a multi-point game in their playoff debut. Tippett joined Ed Jovanovski and Radek Dvorak as the only other Panthers rookies to have recorded multi-point playoff efforts. He was the first Panthers rookie to score a playoff goal since David Nemirovsky (April 23, 1997 at NYR). Tippett has produced four points (1-3-4) in the playoffs, tying Dvorak (1-3-4, 1996) for the second-most points registered by a Panthers rookie in the postseason. Jovanovski owns the franchise record for playoff points by a FLA rookie (1-8-9, 1996).
Carter Verhaeghe has produced points in three of the Panthers four playoff contests (2-1-3), scoring his second goal of the playoffs in Game 4. Winning the 2020 Stanley Cup with TBL, Verhaeghe posted five points (3-2-5) in five games against the Lightning during the 2020-21 regular season. Including regular season games, Verhaeghe has produced points in four of his last five games played (3-1-4).
Patric Hornqvist has posted points in each of his last two games, producing three points in that span (1-2-3). Hornqvist tallied his first playoff goal as a Panther with a PPG marker in Game 3 at TBL. Playing in his seventh consecutive postseason, Hornqvist’s Game 3 goal was his 23rd tally in that span (70GP). Hornqvist has played in 94 career playoff games, winning two Stanley Cup championships with PIT (2016, 2017). He scored the Cup-clinching goal in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. He has amassed 22 points (11-11-22) over 28 career regular season games vs. TBL.
Gustav Forsling and Radko Gudas each recorded multi-point games (1-1-2) and their first career playoff goals in Game 3 at TBL. Forsling and Gudas recorded the second instance of Panthers defensemen scoring their first playoff goals in the same game (Mike Weaver and Jason Garrison, April 17, 2012 at NJD). Each defender posted a +3 rating becoming two of only four FLA defensemen to post a +3 rating in a playoff game. Forsling’s goal at 16:53 of the third period was the latest tying goal in franchise history, besting the previous mark of 16:32 set by Marcel Goc in Game 7 of the 2012 ECQF vs. NJD (April 26, 2012). MacKenzie Weegar leads FLA with six blocked shots.

FLA-TBL CONNECTIONS

FLA defenseman Radko Gudas was selected by TBL in the third round (66th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 126 games for TBL (2012-13 to 2014-15), producing 32 pts (7-25-32).
FLA defenseman Anton Stralman played 355 games for TBL (2014-15 to 2018-19), amassing 130 points (29-101-130). Stralman went to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final with TBL, recording 10 points (1-9-10) over 26 games during the 2014-15 Stanley Cup playoffs.
FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe played 52 games for TBL (2019-20), notching 13 points (9-4-13). He won the 2020 Stanley Cup with TBL, producing two assists over eight postseason games.
FLA forward Nikita Gusev was selected by TBL in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (2013-14 to 2016-17), FLA forward Alex Wennberg (2014-15 to 2016-17) and FLA defenseman Markus Nutivaara (2016-17) were teammates with TBL goaltender Curtis McElhinney on CBJ.
FLA defenseman Anton Stralman was teammates with TBL defenseman Ryan McDonagh on NYR from 2011-12 to 2013-14, including an appearance in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
FLA defenseman Brandon Montour was teammates with TBL forwards Anthony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph on Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, earning Silver Medals.
FLA forward Nikita Gusev was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Silver Medals.
FLA defenseman Radko Gudas won the 2012 Calder Cup while playing for Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, winning alongside present-day TBL forwards Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat, as well as TBL GM Julien BriseBois, Head Coach Jon Cooper and Goaltending Coach Frantz Jean.
TBL Head Coach Jon Cooper served as Assistant Coach on Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey which included FLA defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
FLA defenseman Anton Stralman and TBL defenseman Victor Hedman were teammates on Team Sweden at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, earning Gold Medals.
FLA forward Anthony Duclair and TBL forward Brayden Point were teammates on Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Gold Medals.
FLA forward Nikita Gusev, TBL forward Nikita Kucherov and TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy were teammates on Team Russia at the 2019 World Championships, earning Bronze Medals and at the 2012 World Junior Championships, earning Silver Medals.
FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe and TBL forwards Barclay Goodrow and Gemel Smith share the hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
FLA forward Owen Tippett and TBL forward Mitchell Stephens are cousins and share the hometown of Peterborough, Ontario.
FLA forward Alex Wennberg and TBL defenseman Andreas Borgman and Fredrik Claesson share the hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.
FLA goaltender Philippe Desrosiers and TBL defenseman David Savard share the hometown of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.
FLA forward Scott Wilson and TBL goaltender Spencer Martin share the hometown of Oakville, Ontario.
FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Rick Dudley served as General Manager of TBL from 1999-00 to 2001-02.

PANTHERS PLAYOFFS LEADERS

Games Played: 16 Players (4)

Goals: Huberdeau/Verhaeghe (2)

Assists: Huberdeau (6)

Points: Huberdeau (8)

Power-Play Goals: Barkov/Huberdeau/Hornqvist/Wennberg/Verhaeghe (1)

Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (4)

Shorthanded Goals: –

Shorthanded Points: –

Shots: Barkov (17)

PIM: Lomberg (30)
+/-: Gudas/Vatrano (+2)

Faceoff Win % (Min. 10 faceoffs): Acciari (58.2)

Blocked Shots: Weegar (6)

Hits: Gudas (28)

TOI/GP: Weegar (23:21)

PP TOI/GP: Huberdeau (4:50)

SH TOI/GP: Forsling (3:20)

Wins: Bobrovsky (1)

Shutouts: –

ACTIVE STREAKS

Goal Streak None

Assist Streak Barkov (4 Games, 4 Assists), Huberdeau (2 Games, 4 Assists), Hornqvist (2 Games, 2 Assists)

Point Streak Barkov (4 Games, 1-4-5), Huberdeau (2 Games, 1-4-5), Hornqvist (2 games, 1-2-3), Bennett (2 Games, 1-1-2)

TONIGHT AT BB&T CENTER

All fans in attendance will receive a 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs rally towel courtesy of HairClub.
Fans can enjoy a ‘Happy Hour’ on the JetBlue Tarmac and CITY Furniture Lounge from 6:30-7 p.m. ET prior to doors opening at 7:00 p.m.
Tonight, fans will be able to give back to the Florida Panthers Foundation through the 50/50 raffle. Fans at BB&T Center can purchase 50/50 raffle tickets at select kiosks throughout the arena or online for fans who are within a 75-mile radius of the game at FlaPanthers5050.com and in the Florida Panthers mobile application. Ticket prices include: 5 for $10, 20 for $20, 80 for $40, and 300 for $100.
FLA Live! Is the ultimate fan experience game day mobile application. Available now on iOS and Android, fans of tonight’s game can download the application for ticket management, mobile and contactless ordering, Panthers Predict gaming and more! For details, visit FloridaPanthers.com/FLALIVE.

PANTHERS COMMUNITY HEROES

City Furniture Military Hero: Emilio Labate

Tonight’s Hero Among Us is WWII Veteran, Emilio Labate. Emilio served in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943 and US Navy from 1944-1946. During WWII he was deployed on a heavy cruiser to North Africa, Italy, and Japan.

BB&T (Now Truist) Territory Teammate: Paul O’Connell

GREAT MOMENTS IN PANTHERS HISTORY
May 24, 1996: The Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Miami Arena. Stu Barnes tallied two goals including the game-winner, Dave Lowry notched three assists and John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 26 of 28 PIT shots as the Cats took a 2-1 series lead.

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