After finishing practice at the Florida Panthers’ facility on Monday, Carter Verhaeghe noticed a crowd of about 50 fans waiting outside for autographs. He and Brandon Montour stopped to sign, and soon, other players like captain Aleksander Barkov joined in. The fans, of all ages, were thrilled to meet them.
Despite trailing 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers, the Panthers remain hopeful as they head into Game 4 on home ice. Their fans share the optimism.
Panthers forward Sam Bennett expressed confidence, saying everything feels good in sunny Florida. However, defeating the Rangers proves to be a tough challenge.
In Game 3, despite firing over 100 shots, the Panthers lost in overtime as the Rangers’ goalie Igor Shesterkin made crucial saves.
Alex Wennberg’s deflection secured the win for the Rangers, who now lead the series and are two victories away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
“The third period of Game 3 was the toughest for us in this series so far,” commented Rangers coach Peter Laviolette on the strong push from Florida, where the Panthers managed to tie the game but couldn’t take the lead.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice believes his team understands what adjustments need to be made for Game 4.
“Our strategy won’t be to shoot fewer pucks for better chances,” Maurice stated. “We’re aiming for goals, but we’ve already scored three in Game 1 and four in Game 3. It’s not about scoring more goals; it’s about defending better. We know where we can improve slightly with the puck, and we’re confident in our abilities.”
