Latest news with #JesperBoqvist
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Hurricanes prevent series sweep by beating Panthers 3-0
Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Alexander Nikishin (21) and Florida Panthers centre Jesper Boqvist (70) go after the puck during the second period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals, Monday, May 26, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Toronto Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Are the Florida Panthers built perfectly for the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist (70) celebrates with Aleksander Barkov (16), Aaron Ekblad (5) and Gustav Forsling (42) after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Photo by Lynne Sladky / AP Photo WATCH BELOW: On the latest episode of Off The Post, Toronto SUN Sports Columnist Steve Simmons, Postmedia Hockey Columnist Bruce Garrioch, The Province and Vancouver Sun Canucks reporter Patrick Johnston and Postmedia's Rob Wong discuss the Florida Panthers impressive run during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, if they are perfectly built for playoff-style hockey and if the Oilers or Stars have a chance to beat them. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Columnists Football Relationships Ontario Celebrity
Reuters
7 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Panthers look to clinch spot in Stanley Cup Final vs. Hurricanes
May 26 - The Florida Panthers are one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight season. And though the opportunity to defend their title is within reach, the Panthers aren't looking beyond Monday's Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes in Sunrise, Fla. Florida took a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday, scoring five goals in the third period of a 6-2 win. A victory on Monday would give the Panthers a sweep of the Hurricanes for the second time in the past three years, having also dispatched Carolina in the conference finals in 2023. "I think the biggest thing for this group is we're really good at just focusing on what we need to do and staying in the moment and not looking ahead," Panthers forward Brad Marchand said. "You can't start looking ahead. That's a dangerous game." Sunday marked the fourth straight game with at least five goals for Florida -- dating back to Game 7 of the second round -- to become only the fourth team in the past 30 years with a streak of that length. The Panthers have received contributions from throughout their lineup. Captain Aleksander Barkov led the way in Game 3 with two goals and an assist to take the team lead in postseason scoring with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 15 games. Saturday's three-point effort also extended Barkov's point streak to four games. Jesper Boqvist, who filled in for the injured Sam Reinhart on the top line, had a goal and two assists, including the goal-ahead tally early in the third period. Defenseman Niko Mikkola, who entered the playoffs with eight career points (two goals, six assists) in 47 games over the past four postseasons, scored twice and now has a personal-best five points in the playoffs. "He's been really impressive for his size, he moves so well, he had a good stick, defensive stick, he plays the game the right way all the time," Barkov said. "He's been great for us." Panthers coach Paul Maurice ruled out Reinhart (lower-body injury) on Monday morning, along with Mikkola and forward A.J. Greer. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, could once again be without defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker as they try to keep their season alive. Chatfield has missed the past four games with an undisclosed injury, last playing on May 12 in Game 4 of the second round. Walker (undisclosed) was injured in Game 2 against the Panthers. Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour will be looking for more from his top talent. Taylor Hall was minus-4 with two shots on goal while Sebastian Aho was minus-3 with two shots on goal. Elsewhere, Andrei Svechnikov had three giveaways and did not record a shot on goal and Seth Jarvis' third-period goal on the power play was his lone shot on goal and came with Carolina trailing 6-1. "The four rookies in the lineup (defensemen Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow, and forwards Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake) can't be some of your better players," Brind'Amour said. "That can't happen. So there's a couple guys in there that I don't think came to play the way they needed to at this time of year. ... We needed more out of some guys." --Field Level Media
Reuters
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Panthers' Sam Reinhart day-to-day, uncertain for Game 4
May 25 - The availability of Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart remains in question for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters Sunday that Reinhart has not been cleared to return to game action after sustaining a lower-body injury during the first period of Florida's 5-0 win in Game 2 on Thursday. Reinhart sat out Saturday's 6-2 win for the Panthers, who hold a commanding 3-0 lead the best-of-seven series. Maurice said a decision on Reinhart's status will be made on Monday morning, hours before Game 4 in Sunrise, Fla. "He is not cleared, but he hasn't been ruled out either," Maurice said Sunday. "I know that sounds a little ambiguous, but it's not. That's exactly where he's at. "We are hopeful that it's not long term, and I mean he is day-to-day and I don't think it's going to move out that way. He still has to get back on the ice. There are some steps here." Jesper Boqvist filled in admirably for Reinhart, scoring the go-ahead goal on a breakaway at 1:29 of the third period on Saturday. He added two assists later in the period. Reinhart, 29, recorded team-leading totals in goals (39) and points (81) in 79 games this season and is a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best defensive forward. He has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 14 games in the playoffs. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three takeaways: Jesper Boqvist fills in beautifully again, Panthers pull away after tight 2 periods
In case you haven't noticed, the Florida Panthers are quite good when it comes to playing in the conference final. Florida skated to an impressive 6-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday, taking a three-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven series. The Panthers are now just one win away from reaching their third straight Stanley Cup Final. Over the past three seasons, Florida now holds an impressive 11-2 record in the conference final. Both Saturday's game and the series as a whole have been closer than the game scores would lead you to believe, but at the end of the day, the Panthers have won three straight over Carolina by a combined score of 16-4. Let's get to the Game 3 takeaways: BOQVIST BOOST Panthers forward Sam Reinhart suffered a lower-body injury during Game 2 in Raleigh that kept him out of Saturday's win in Sunrise. Filling in for Reinhart, who is considered day-to-day, was Jesper Boqvist, who slotted onto the top line with Sasha Barkov and Evan Rodrigues. The last time Boqvist was slotted into the lineup after missing a few games was in Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He skated with Barkov that night and picked up a goal and an assist while helping Florida to a 6-1 win. On Saturday, Boqvist one-upped himself, logging three points, including the goal at the start of the third period that seemingly opened the flood gates for Florida. 'When I say I'm impressed with his game, there's an expectation of what he can do,' said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. 'It's good that he's come in with Barkov, I think in both games, because it's a certain style that he excels at. But as good as that is for him, it's also good for all the other players that aren't in the lineup right now. They see how important you are, how critically important you are. So you say to all those guys, 'stay ready' and then we say, well, you've been ready. You did it all year. Just about all these guys played really important roles for us, but it's good for them, for the guys watching the game, to see how important it is that you stay right.' TIGHT GAME THROUGH TWO Don't be fooled by the final score, as Game 3 was extremely tight through the first 40 minutes. It's been a similar story through the series, as some very close, competitive hockey has been blown up by a few big stretches and periods by the Panthers. That's what will help keep the Panthers grounded as they now focus on winning a fourth game in the series. 'They're playing the game that we expected to play,' said Maurice. 'The emotions of playoffs are different. So when you have the first two (games) that we had, certainly the second the way it went, it's so much closer than you think. And if it wasn't (close) in one game, it doesn't matter, because when they come back and they play the first two periods the way those are played, that's a tight game, and that's what we would expect. So we're going out into the third, we're not thinking it's going to change anything, you're looking for a break. Then once you get to two (goals) and three, but once you get to 2-1, the game has to open up for them, and they're dangerous with that game. They're good at it. And at 3-1, then the game has to open up. So what happens from two to three and then on doesn't matter, because it's not the way this game starts the next game. It goes back to the first period here.' ELIMINATION GAME MINDSET As crazy as it might seem for you longtime Panthers fans, these situations are nothing new to the Cats. Over the past three seasons under Maurice, the Panthers have gone 9-7 in games where they can eliminate their opponent. That includes a 1-3 mark from last year's Stanley Cup Final, which Florida also held a 3-0 series lead. The Panthers have plenty of experience when dealing with the stress and emotion that comes with maneuvering through a playoff series, and that should come in handy as they look to knock out Carolina for the second time in three seasons. 'We're going to find out if we've learned (from our experience),' Maurice said. 'We got up 3-0 on Toronto two years ago and wanted it so bad that we tried to win the game on every play. I think we kind of learned from that. And then you saw last year (in the Stanley Cup Final) we got beat 8-1. It's the same idea. They have the desperation advantage, you have potentially the desire advantage, just the achievement idea that you get to move on, and both teams will fight that. That will be on display in the game. Can we control the desire emotion and play the game? Can they control the desperation emotion and play the game? So what the common denominator is, we're just going to play the game. It's just hockey. There's nothing else to this game but hockey, but neither team is going to feel that coming to the rink.' LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Panthers push Hurricanes to brink with dominant 6-2 victory in Game 3 Important Panthers Forward Ejected From Game 3 For Boarding Charles Barkley 'Hates' Seth Jones For This Hilarious Reason 3 Panthers Who Need Big Performances In Game 3 vs. Hurricanes Sam Reinhart out for Game 3 of Eastern Conference Final Photo caption: May 24, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers celebrate the win against the Carolina Hurricanes in game three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
