The Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils both have reason to feel more desperate about their thinning playoff hopes, adding extra import to Tuesday’s meeting between the two clubs in Newark, N.J.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers sit eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot. New Jersey is second-worst in the East and three points back of the Panthers, giving the Devils an even steeper hill to climb over the season’s final 22 games.
Both teams look more like potential sellers than buyers heading into the NHL’s trade deadline on Friday. Considering how hot and cold the Panthers and Devils have run this season, however, each club feels a late push is still possible.
Florida coach Paul Maurice thinks his veteran team needs “any one good feeling” to get back on track.
“Any one good play, anything that gives them the feeling that there’s hope,” Maurice said after Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders. “That’s really what we’re trying to drive now. They’ve got miles on them, but they’ve played a lot of big games together. That’s the key.”
The Panthers are 2-7-0 in their last nine games, with five of those losses coming in one-goal games. Sunday’s game saw Florida surrender an early 2-0 lead, allowing New York’s Anders Lee to score the game-winning goal with 32 seconds left in regulation.
The Devils are also 2-7-0 in their last nine games, and “one-goal games” has carried an unfortunate different meaning for the team. New Jersey scored no more than a single goal in any game during a five-game losing streak that finally ended with Saturday’s 3-1 road victory over the St. Louis Blues.
The win continued the Devils’ trend of locking down games once they gain an advantage. New Jersey is a perfect 19-0-0 when leading after two periods, and 1-20-1 when trailing after two periods.
“We’ve been the best team in the NHL playing with a lead in the third period, so when we get in that spot, we’re good. We’ve just got to find ways to do it more consistently,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said.
Tuesday’s contest begins a seven-game homestand for the Devils, and they play 13 of their final 22 games in their own building. The Devils are only 13-13-2 at home, and their 28 home points are the fourth-fewest in the league.
Since the Devils also play Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen will split the two starts in some order. Allen could be favored to face the Panthers since Markstrom started against St. Louis.
Nico Hischier (20 goals, 23 assists) and Jesper Bratt (13 goals, 30 assists) are tied for New Jersey’s team lead with 43 points apiece. Hischier leads the club in goals, and Bratt leads in assists.
Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57).
Sergei Bobrovsky will likely start again for the Panthers on Tuesday. Time may have finally caught up to Bobrovsky in his 16th NHL season, as the goaltender has struggled to a 22-18-1 record, an .872 save percentage and a 3.13 goals-against average.
The home team has won the two prior meetings between the Panthers and Devils this season.
