Panthers working to snap 0-for streak on power plays vs. Bruins
The Panthers have not scored one power-play goal on 15 chances against the Bruins this year, and they have lost all five games vs. Boston. They will try to break those streaks against the Bruins in Game 2 on Wednesday.
FORT LAUDERDALE — There is one stat hanging over the Panthers’ matchups with the Bruins this year: 0-for-3.
When Florida and Boston met up the first time this season, the Panthers went 0-for-3 on their power plays in a 3-2, overtime loss in October. About a month later, the Panthers went 0-for-3 again in a 3-1 loss. On March 26, the same story: no power-play goals in three chances in a 4-3 loss. In their final regular-season meeting, Florida again went 0-for-3 and again lost 3-2 in overtime.
So despite finishing the regular season eighth in power play percentage in the league, scoring on 23.5 percent of man advantages, it was no surprise when the Panthers went 0-for-3 on the power play in their 5-1 loss to Boston in Monday’s Game 1 of their second-round series. They will try to break that skid against the Bruins in Game 2 in Sunrise on Wednesday night.
“They’re a very good PK team, especially in the playoffs,” Panthers star winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “We had a couple looks but probably just too slow tonight on the power play. It’s something we’ve got to figure out.”
The Bruins are a strong penalty-killing team, tying with the Panthers for sixth in the league with an 82.5 kill percentage during the regular season. Boston is second in the league in kill percentage in the postseason so far, killing 95.8 percent of opposition power plays. The Panthers, meanwhile, are 11th out of 16 playoff teams with an 18.8 power-play goal percentage.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice echoed Tkachuk’s sentiments, thinking the team was a little slower than needed on power plays.
“I don’t think it’s broken,” Maurice said. “I think if Matthew cracks the empty net that he had, whatever, you go 0-for-3, 1-for-4, you’re all right. It would be similar to our 5-on-5 game; I just thought it was a little slow.”
The solution might be a simple one: be more assertive, Panthers leading goal-scorer Sam Reinhart said.
“They’re obviously solid,” Reinhart said. “That’s a strength of theirs. I think just being a little more assertive, a little bit quicker … not needing to be looking for the perfect play all the time. I think the more you can create around the net, the more plays you open up for us.”
Bennett progressing
Panthers center Sam Bennett has been out with an upper-body injury since appearing to take a Brandon Montour slap shot to the hand or wrist in Game 2 of Florida’s first playoff series against Tampa Bay.
Bennett was on the ice during part of Florida’s practice on Tuesday, and Maurice said he thinks Bennett could return in the next three games.
“He’s closing in,” Maurice said. “He’s close now. It’s one of the next three games, for sure, I think. … It’s more just doctors and things of that nature signing off.”
Bennett was sixth on the team with 41 points during the regular season, scoring 20 goals and notching 21 assists. He has one goal and one assist in the first two playoff games.
“(He) goes to the hard areas,” Reinhart said. “This time of year is always the time of year he steps up. It’s those heavy games that he thrives in.”