New York. It was a Florida Cats night in the eastern half of ice hockey.
They beat Buffalo at the same time the Pittsburgh Penguins landed a resounding blow against New Jersey – thus the Panthers punched the Penguins at the line.
“We showed at every change how far we want to go to the playoffs,” Florida star Matthew Tkachuk said after a 2-1 win which also means it’s pretty clear now that Washington will miss the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
The battle for the last available playoff spots in the Ice Hockey East standings is getting really exciting.
Going into tonight’s game, Pittsburgh was right over the line with a one-point lead over the Florida Panthers.
But when they wake up this morning, the Penguins—who haven’t missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in sixteen years—find themselves below par.
Because when they needed to be their best, away in New Jersey, they played a real game and lost 5-1 – while the Panthers beat Buffalo 2-1 at home on FLA Live.
– Pen team coach Mike Sullivan admits we’ve been outplayed.
The only thing we can do now is try to learn something from this and do better in the next game. We’re still in the race.
The Panthers, for their part, haven’t crossed the line. They have also overtaken the New York Islanders and are now in first place for the Champion. Finishing there, rather than in another diton, is supposed to be the best because whoever does that will avoid Boston in the first round of the playoffs.
– We were really good tonight, says Matthew Tkachuk about tonight’s game, which he decided himself at the start of the third period.
– I think we showed with every change how far we want to go to the playoffs. You can feel it. The setting was amazing.
In the match in Newark, young Dawson Mercer completed the first hat-trick in his NHL career, while Jesper Pratt responded with an assist – and in Florida, Rasmus Dahlin played until the Sabers’ only goal.
The Washington Capitals didn’t play, but it was still a dismal night for them.
After the Panthers won, it was mathematically certain that they would miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.