Three Takeaways From Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals
The Florida Panthers are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Finals after rallying in Game 5 to take down the New York Rangers 3-2.
How it Happened
The Blueshirts got on the board first with a short-handed goal from Chris Kreider, his eighth of the playoffs and the team’s sixth goal on the penalty kill throughout the postseason.
The Cats answered six minutes later as Gustav Forsling received a no-look pass from Sam Bennett and found the back of the net with a nifty backhand.
The game was tied at one entering the third period until Anton Lundell snuck a shot under Igor Shesterkin's blocker side. Bennett would tack on an empty netter before Alexis Lafrenière added a goal for the Rangers as time was winding down.
Shesterkin on an Island
I understand the Panthers' forecheck is incredible. They send multiple players in the zone to disrupt the Rangers' breakout and cause turnovers. As a result, many of these turnovers lead to 2-on-1 chances or players left all alone in the crease attempting between-the-leg shots. How demoralizing does that look?
Sometimes I think the Rangers rely on Igor too much. They know how elite he is and they hang him out to dry knowing he will most likely bail the team out with clutch saves. But you just cannot play like that. No matter how good your goalie is, if pucks keep flying towards your net, some are gonna find twine, especially against a team like Florida who has offensive weapons up and down the lineup.
The Rangers need to tighten up their zone exits and if it means dumping and chasing more then so be it. You cannot keep giving Florida free A+ scoring chances because you haven't figured out how to break their forecheck.
Zibanejad and Kreider step up
Mika and Kreider struggled in the first four games of the series, but they finally got on the stat sheet in Game 5. Entering the game they both had zero points against Florida, but they both tallied two points in the loss, Kreider with a goal and assist and Zibanejad with two assists.
It is a good sign heading into a must-win Game 6 that these two stars are coming off good offensive games. Kreider stepped up big in Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes with a third-period natural hat trick and he may need to step up again in this series to force a Game 7.
Matt Rempe ice time
Rempe has been a huge boost to this team and the fans since he was called up in February. Whether it is his physicality, forecheck, or even the rare times he buries a goal, Rempe always gets the place rocking.
Despite his impact, the 6’7 forward only saw 2:43 time on ice in Game 5. That is almost four minutes less than his average throughout the playoffs.
What is the point of playing him if he is going to play less than three minutes? Instead, the top players are being double-shifted and are probably gassed late in the third period.
We have seen head coach Peter Laviolette play Rempe late in third periods and even in overtime in Game 2 so I am not sure why he was glued to the bench Thursday night.
Rempe’s reaction to getting shifts late in Game 2, per Mollie Walker on X.
"I heard Lavi call my name with like 2 minutes left and I was like, 'Oh my God, let's go! Jiminy Crickets, let's go!' I was thrown out there and I just tried to buzz around and do my job."
I am curious to see if Rempe will be in the lineup for Game 6 or if Blake Wheeler or Jonny Brodzinski gets the nod.
Game 6
The series returns to the Sunshine State for Game 6 at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday, puck drop at 8:00 p.m. EST.