Panthers Clinch Home Ice for First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

SUNRISE — Playoff hockey is just one week away and the Florida Panthers earned the opportunity to start it off at home. 

On Saturday afternoon, the Panthers secured home-ice advantage for the first-round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs after defeating the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime.

With one game left to play in the regular season, Florida is guaranteed to finish at least second place in the Atlantic Division — while still being in contention to finish first.

As the standings are now, the Panthers are currently one point ahead of the Boston Bruins for first place in the division — Boston has two games in hand. 

“I don’t think there’s an advantage, one team or the other,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said when asked about a potential playoff opponent. “I’ve never ever believed in that you match up well against one team because ten minutes into that first game, either team loses a guy and everything changes.”  

If they were to finish second, the Toronto Maple Leafs would most likely be Florida’s opponent in the first-round. The Leafs are currently third in the Atlantic. 

The Tampa Bay Lightning are trending towards being the Wild Card 1 team. If Florida wins the division — they’d end up playing the team in Wild Card 1.

Florida owns the tiebreaker over Boston. 

The Panthers needed just one point on Saturday to secure the second seed — they got that and more thanks to Sam Reinhart’s overtime winning goal.

With 1:02 left in OT, Reinhart buried his 55th goal of the season and the Panthers jumped the Bruins for first place in the division. 

“That was the task at hand today and we got it done,” Reinhart said on clinching home ice. “We’re excited for the challenge ahead.” 

The Panthers picked up their 51st win of the season with the victory. 

Saturday afternoon’s contest was a close one. Neither team held more than a one-goal lead and the game was tied for over 50 consecutive minutes of game time.

After Tyson Jost opened the scoring for Buffalo 2:59 into the game, Anton Lundell answered less than three minutes later to even things up with his 13th goal of the season.

Lundell has six points in his last six games (4-2-6) and extended his point streak to three games.

“Me and the whole team, we just try to prepare for the playoffs, try to bring your best every night,” Lundell said. “The whole team and me, we’re looking forward (to the playoffs). We want to be ready for when Game 1 starts. It’s a long grind, every game is a war out there.

Still tied in the first, the two teams exchanged goals on Buffalo’s first power play of the evening. 

Kevin Stenlund gave the Panthers the lead after forcing a turnover at the blueline and burying a short handed goal on the breakaway.

On the same Sabres man-advantage, Jack Quinn saved the power play with his ninth goal of the season. 

After a combined four goals in the opening ten minutes of Saturday’s contest, both  goaltenders kept the door shut until Reinhart’s winning goal.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen finished the night with 39 saves in the loss. 

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had 27 saves and picked up the win in his 700th career NHL game. 

“We had a good game tonight, we got the good two points and we move on,” Borovsky said. “I feel good. I’m excited for the coming challenge (the playoffs).”

Panthers Notes

Former Sabres captain Kyle Okposo played against his former team for the first time since joining the Panthers at the trade deadline

Oliver Ekman-Larsson left the game and did not return. Paul Maurice said he might not play in the final game of the regular season, but the injury was “minor” and they “fully expect him to be ready” for the playoffs

Games 1 and 2 of Florida’s first round playoff series will be in Sunrise at Amerant Bank Arena — postseason begins April 20