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San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Road warrior Panthers are comfortable starting the Stanley Cup Final away from home
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The plaque of game pucks marking the Florida Panthers' first 12 wins this playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final is full of a wide array of colors. There are three bearing the logo of the Tampa Bay Lightning from the first round, two of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the second and three more of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Eastern Conference final. It's visual evidence just how good they have been on the road, going 8-2 into just the second final in NHL history featuring teams that started all three series on the way there away from home. The Panthers again open on the road when they play at the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 on Wednesday night, looking to keep their good vibes going far from South Florida. 'We've been having some good starts on the road, and we want to bring that for sure this series,' top defenseman Gustav Forsling said Tuesday. 'We like being on the road with each other.' Players brushed off the home/road splits — 'That's just the stats,' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said — but there may be something much deeper to it. The Panthers travel differently than most teams in the league, often staying overnight during the regular season and choosing to value extra time at home in the playoffs before flying. 'We have a lot of good people in our organization who are working on that stuff and doing the research (on) what is the best for the recovery and all that stuff,' defenseman Nikko Mikkola said. 'As a player, you don't have to think too much. You just do what they tell you and just go with that.' The Panthers opted to practice at home Monday, then travel the 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) to Edmonton on Tuesday. They followed a similar routine last year, when they beat the Oilers in the final. 'We just got off the plane, went to the gym, did a little activation stuff and feeling really good right now and I'm sure we will feel good tomorrow morning, too,' forward Jesper Boqvist said, adding he's not sure why Florida is so good in unfriendly confines. 'I don't have a secret answer to that, but I think we are comfortable either way.' So are the Oilers, who are 6-3 away from home. Veteran forward Adam Henrique, who in 2012 played for New Jersey against Los Angeles in the only other final with teams that started the first three rounds on the road, considers it a project of collective maturity. 'Good teams, you just find a way,' Henrique said. 'It's a business trip. You go and have got to do your job, go take care of business and put yourself in a good spot to come home.' Brown a question Edmonton won't have winger Zach Hyman the rest of the way after he was injured late in the West final against Dallas. There's a little bit of lineup intrigue elsewhere, too. Coach Kris Knoblauch said Monday he expected Connor Brown, who missed the clincher last round, to play in Game 1. Brown missed practice Tuesday with an illness, and Knoblauch said the 31-year-old would be a game-time decision. If Brown is able to play, it looks like Jeff Skinner would remain in, with Viktor Arvidsson potentially coming out. Skinner was a healthy scratch from Game 1 of the first round until replacing Hyman in Game 5 against the Stars and scoring in that win. Skinner, who played over 1,000 regular-season games before finally making his playoff debut, has tried his best to stay ready for his opportunity. 'When you get this far, there's a lot at stake and a lot more emotion and excitement involved in everything,' Skinner said. 'You get this close, you want to put your best foot forward and that will be exciting.' Corey Perry is about to play in the final for a fifth time in six years and the sixth time in his career, he just turned 40 and he does not have a contract beyond this season. Does that mean he's considering retirement? Nope. 'That's the plan is to be back next year,' Perry said. "It's just not in me to think about it. There's a lot of things that I love doing. I love playing. I like being around the room. I don't think that's going to be coming into my head any time soon, either, and it's just who I am.' ___
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Road warrior Panthers are comfortable starting the Stanley Cup Final away from home
EDMONTON, Alberta — The plaque of game pucks marking the Florida Panthers' first 12 wins this playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final is full of a wide array of colors. There are three bearing the logo of the Tampa Bay Lightning from the first round, two of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the second and three more of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Eastern Conference final . It's visual evidence just how good they have been on the road, going 8-2 into just the second final in NHL history featuring teams that started all three series on the way there away from home. The Panthers again open on the road when they play at the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 on Wednesday night, looking to keep their good vibes going far from South Florida. 'We've been having some good starts on the road, and we want to bring that for sure this series,' top defenseman Gustav Forsling said Tuesday. 'We like being on the road with each other.' Players brushed off the home/road splits — 'That's just the stats,' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said — but there may be something much deeper to it. The Panthers travel differently than most teams in the league, often staying overnight during the regular season and choosing to value extra time at home in the playoffs before flying. 'We have a lot of good people in our organization who are working on that stuff and doing the research (on) what is the best for the recovery and all that stuff,' defenseman Nikko Mikkola said. 'As a player, you don't have to think too much. You just do what they tell you and just go with that.' The Panthers opted to practice at home Monday, then travel the 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) to Edmonton on Tuesday. They followed a similar routine last year, when they beat the Oilers in the final. 'We just got off the plane, went to the gym, did a little activation stuff and feeling really good right now and I'm sure we will feel good tomorrow morning, too,' forward Jesper Boqvist said, adding he's not sure why Florida is so good in unfriendly confines. 'I don't have a secret answer to that, but I think we are comfortable either way.' So are the Oilers, who are 6-3 away from home. Veteran forward Adam Henrique, who in 2012 played for New Jersey against Los Angeles in the only other final with teams that started the first three rounds on the road, considers it a project of collective maturity. 'Good teams, you just find a way,' Henrique said. 'It's a business trip. You go and have got to do your job, go take care of business and put yourself in a good spot to come home.' Edmonton won't have winger Zach Hyman the rest of the way after he was injured late in the West final against Dallas. There's a little bit of lineup intrigue elsewhere, too. Coach Kris Knoblauch said Monday he expected Connor Brown, who missed the clincher last round, to play in Game 1. Brown missed practice Tuesday with an illness, and Knoblauch said the 31-year-old would be a game-time decision. If Brown is able to play, it looks like Jeff Skinner would remain in, with Viktor Arvidsson potentially coming out. Skinner was a healthy scratch from Game 1 of the first round until replacing Hyman in Game 5 against the Stars and scoring in that win. Skinner, who played over 1,000 regular-season games before finally making his playoff debut , has tried his best to stay ready for his opportunity. 'When you get this far, there's a lot at stake and a lot more emotion and excitement involved in everything,' Skinner said. 'You get this close, you want to put your best foot forward and that will be exciting.' Corey Perry is about to play in the final for a fifth time in six years and the sixth time in his career, he just turned 40 and he does not have a contract beyond this season. Does that mean he's considering retirement? Nope. 'That's the plan is to be back next year,' Perry said. 'It's just not in me to think about it. There's a lot of things that I love doing. I love playing. I like being around the room. I don't think that's going to be coming into my head any time soon, either, and it's just who I am.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
Road warrior Panthers are comfortable starting the Stanley Cup Final away from home
Associated Press EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The plaque of game pucks marking the Florida Panthers' first 12 wins this playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final is full of a wide array of colors. There are three bearing the logo of the Tampa Bay Lightning from the first round, two of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the second and three more of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Eastern Conference final. It's visual evidence just how good they have been on the road, going 8-2 into just the second final in NHL history featuring teams that started all three series on the way there away from home. The Panthers again open on the road when they play at the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 on Wednesday night, looking to keep their good vibes going far from South Florida. 'We've been having some good starts on the road, and we want to bring that for sure this series,' top defenseman Gustav Forsling said Tuesday. 'We like being on the road with each other.' Players brushed off the home/road splits — 'That's just the stats,' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said — but there may be something much deeper to it. The Panthers travel differently than most teams in the league, often staying overnight during the regular season and choosing to value extra time at home in the playoffs before flying. 'We have a lot of good people in our organization who are working on that stuff and doing the research (on) what is the best for the recovery and all that stuff,' defenseman Nikko Mikkola said. 'As a player, you don't have to think too much. You just do what they tell you and just go with that.' The Panthers opted to practice at home Monday, then travel the 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) to Edmonton on Tuesday. They followed a similar routine last year, when they beat the Oilers in the final. 'We just got off the plane, went to the gym, did a little activation stuff and feeling really good right now and I'm sure we will feel good tomorrow morning, too,' forward Jesper Boqvist said, adding he's not sure why Florida is so good in unfriendly confines. 'I don't have a secret answer to that, but I think we are comfortable either way.' So are the Oilers, who are 6-3 away from home. Veteran forward Adam Henrique, who in 2012 played for New Jersey against Los Angeles in the only other final with teams that started the first three rounds on the road, considers it a project of collective maturity. 'Good teams, you just find a way,' Henrique said. 'It's a business trip. You go and have got to do your job, go take care of business and put yourself in a good spot to come home.' Brown a question Edmonton won't have winger Zach Hyman the rest of the way after he was injured late in the West final against Dallas. There's a little bit of lineup intrigue elsewhere, too. Coach Kris Knoblauch said Monday he expected Connor Brown, who missed the clincher last round, to play in Game 1. Brown missed practice Tuesday with an illness, and Knoblauch said the 31-year-old would be a game-time decision. If Brown is able to play, it looks like Jeff Skinner would remain in, with Viktor Arvidsson potentially coming out. Skinner was a healthy scratch from Game 1 of the first round until replacing Hyman in Game 5 against the Stars and scoring in that win. Skinner, who played over 1,000 regular-season games before finally making his playoff debut, has tried his best to stay ready for his opportunity. 'When you get this far, there's a lot at stake and a lot more emotion and excitement involved in everything,' Skinner said. 'You get this close, you want to put your best foot forward and that will be exciting.' More Perry Corey Perry is about to play in the final for a fifth time in six years and the sixth time in his career, he just turned 40 and he does not have a contract beyond this season. Does that mean he's considering retirement? Nope. 'That's the plan is to be back next year,' Perry said. "It's just not in me to think about it. There's a lot of things that I love doing. I love playing. I like being around the room. I don't think that's going to be coming into my head any time soon, either, and it's just who I am.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and recommended
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Road warrior Panthers are comfortable starting the Stanley Cup Final away from home
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — The plaque of game pucks marking the Florida Panthers' first 12 wins this playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final is full of a wide array of colors. There are three bearing the logo of the Tampa Bay Lightning from the first round, two of the Toronto Maple Leafs from the second and three more of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Eastern Conference final. It's visual evidence just how good they have been on the road, going 8-2 into just the second final in NHL history featuring teams that started all three series on the way there away from home. The Panthers again open on the road when they play at the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 on Wednesday night, looking to keep their good vibes going far from South Florida. 'We've been having some good starts on the road, and we want to bring that for sure this series,' top defenseman Gustav Forsling said Tuesday. 'We like being on the road with each other.' Players brushed off the home/road splits — 'That's just the stats,' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said — but there may be something much deeper to it. The Panthers travel differently than most teams in the league, often staying overnight during the regular season and choosing to value extra time at home in the playoffs before flying. 'We have a lot of good people in our organization who are working on that stuff and doing the research (on) what is the best for the recovery and all that stuff,' defenseman Nikko Mikkola said. 'As a player, you don't have to think too much. You just do what they tell you and just go with that.' The Panthers opted to practice at home Monday, then travel the 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) to Edmonton on Tuesday. They followed a similar routine last year, when they beat the Oilers in the final. 'We just got off the plane, went to the gym, did a little activation stuff and feeling really good right now and I'm sure we will feel good tomorrow morning, too,' forward Jesper Boqvist said, adding he's not sure why Florida is so good in unfriendly confines. 'I don't have a secret answer to that, but I think we are comfortable either way.' So are the Oilers, who are 6-3 away from home. Veteran forward Adam Henrique, who in 2012 played for New Jersey against Los Angeles in the only other final with teams that started the first three rounds on the road, considers it a project of collective maturity. 'Good teams, you just find a way,' Henrique said. 'It's a business trip. You go and have got to do your job, go take care of business and put yourself in a good spot to come home.' Brown a question Edmonton won't have winger Zach Hyman the rest of the way after he was injured late in the West final against Dallas. There's a little bit of lineup intrigue elsewhere, too. Coach Kris Knoblauch said Monday he expected Connor Brown, who missed the clincher last round, to play in Game 1. Brown missed practice Tuesday with an illness, and Knoblauch said the 31-year-old would be a game-time decision. If Brown is able to play, it looks like Jeff Skinner would remain in, with Viktor Arvidsson potentially coming out. Skinner was a healthy scratch from Game 1 of the first round until replacing Hyman in Game 5 against the Stars and scoring in that win. Skinner, who played over 1,000 regular-season games before finally making his playoff debut, has tried his best to stay ready for his opportunity. 'When you get this far, there's a lot at stake and a lot more emotion and excitement involved in everything,' Skinner said. 'You get this close, you want to put your best foot forward and that will be exciting.' More Perry Corey Perry is about to play in the final for a fifth time in six years and the sixth time in his career, he just turned 40 and he does not have a contract beyond this season. Does that mean he's considering retirement? Nope. 'That's the plan is to be back next year,' Perry said. 'It's just not in me to think about it. There's a lot of things that I love doing. I love playing. I like being around the room. I don't think that's going to be coming into my head any time soon, either, and it's just who I am.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Washington Post
31-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Panthers are about to set the NHL mark for games played in a 3-year span
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers don't play hockey every day. It only seems like that's the case. When the Panthers take the ice for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton on Wednesday night, it will be the team's 309th game over the past three seasons and one that ties the NHL record for most games in a three-year span. And that, obviously, means they'll break the record in Game 2 on Friday. There is no downside to making the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons, though there has been one unintended consequence — the Panthers are playing a ton of hockey. It's simultaneously tiring and exhilarating. 'We will have more energy for this series than any of the three prior,' coach Paul Maurice said. 'And I'm sure it's true of Edmonton as well. But the regular season was more of a grind for us this year than either of the two previous. And then in each round, it seemed a bigger build to excitement just because the light is at the end of the tunnel. There are no more than seven games left to this season, no matter what. So, you will see a new energy source from both teams in this series.' Dallas (1997-98 through 1999-2000) and Detroit (2006-07 through 2008-09) hold the record for most games in a three-year span with 309; the Panthers' Game 5 win in Carolina to clinch the Eastern Conference title was their 308th in three seasons, putting them on the brink of passing those clubs. And two Panthers players — Sam Reinhart and Gustav Forsling — have played almost every one of those games. Both have made 303 appearances for Florida in these three years; they have a chance to pass Pittsburgh's Phil Kessel for the most by any NHL player ever in a three-year span. Kessel played in all 307 of Pittsburgh's games from 2015-16 through 2017-18. 'That is crazy,' Forsling said. 'I didn't know that stat. That is crazy, for sure. It's a lot of preparation and a lot of recovery and you have to do the right things. Otherwise, you're going to be struggling out there — because that's a lot of hockey. And mentally, you've got to take days off and not think about hockey as much. I have a son now; that takes my mind off things.' Edmonton is going to fly up the most-games list as this series goes on as well. Game 1 against Florida will be the Oilers' 300th in the last three years; if the series goes seven games, Edmonton's 306 games would be the seventh most in a three-year span behind the Panthers, those Dallas and Detroit teams with 309, along with Pittsburgh (2015-16 through 2017-18), Colorado (1999-2000 through 2001-02) and Detroit (1995-96 through 1997-98) with 307 each. 'This last stretch of the last couple of years has been some of the most fun I've had playing hockey,' Oilers star Connor McDavid said after the Western Conference final. 'I look forward to what's going to be an exciting month.' The Oilers and Panthers have superstars atop the lineups, but both teams know they got here with depth. Both have had 19 different goal scorers in the playoffs. 'That's what's been winning us hockey games,' Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. 'And you need that this time of year. We knew we were going to need everybody. ... Our depth has been incredible.' The Panthers set the tone for deep runs with grueling training camps, though that's just one small part of the story. Strength and conditioning is an everyday thing during the season as well, along with constant advising from nutritionists, a sports science department and others tasked with drawing out the best path to peak performance. The Panthers will be up to about 67,000 air miles logged this season — far more than most NHL teams — after the first two games of the Cup final; they tend to stay in cities after games instead of flying home late at night in order to keep some semblance of a normal sleep schedule. 'It is before practice, after practice, every day, so that's kind of the mindset and culture that we build here,' Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. 'A lot of guys on this team don't even drink anymore. It isn't the old NHL where you have beers after games every game. We can't afford that because we cannot afford to get behind the eight ball at all during the season. That's where our team is at now.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
