The Florida Panthers are poised to secure their second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final as they host the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. After a crucial 3-2 victory at Madison Square Garden, the Panthers lead the best-of-7 series 3-2.
Returning to Sunrise, the Panthers have a golden opportunity to clinch the series on home ice. However, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers are determined to extend their season.
Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice anticipates a fierce battle, noting both teams have been throwing heavy punches since Game 1. “I think it’s just a continuation of what we’ve seen,” Maurice stated. “The speed amps up, and the team closest to their identity wins. Whether it’s an elimination game or not, how fast and quick you can get to your identity wins the game.”
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While Maurice’s recent lineup changes weren’t solely based on wins and losses, it’s likely he will stick with the lineup that secured Thursday’s win. The fourth line played limited shifts in Game 5, which might prompt the re-insertion of Ryan Lomberg or Nick Cousins.
The Panthers have scheduled an optional morning skate, so final lineup decisions might not be revealed until pregame warmups.
Projected Panthers Lines and Pairings for Game 6:
Forwards:
- Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
- Evan Rodrigues – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
- Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Vladimir Tarasenko
- Steven Lorentz – Kevin Stenlund – Kyle Okposo
Defensemen:
- Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
- Niko Mikkola – Brandon Montour
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Dmitry Kulikov
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