Montour registered an assist and four blocked shots versus the Lightning in Game 4 on Saturday, but it still wasn't enough, as the Panthers suffered a 6-3 loss.
After being held without a point in the first two games of the conference quarterfinals, Montour stacked a goal and two helpers between Game 3 and Game 4. The eighth-year defenseman has always had a high ceiling in terms of offensive potential, but there had been a fair number of detractors until Montour's eye-popping 73-point campaign surfaced in 2022-23. He had offseason shoulder surgery and missed the first 16 games of the recently completed regular season, leveling back down to a half-point-per game average. In this playoff series, Montour is averaging 23:26 of ice time with 2:27 on the man advantage. This Panthers team will have another crack at eliminating the Lightning at home for Game 5 on Monday.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Two helpers in Game 4 loss
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Tkachuk collected two assists Saturday during a 6-3 loss to the Lightning in Game 4.
Both helpers came in the second period as the Panthers tried to rally from an early 3-0 deficit, to no avail. Tkachuk has been outstanding to begin the postseason, and he leads Florida with seven points (three goals, four assists) through four games. He'll look to extend his active point streak to eight games Monday in Game 5, and lead his team into the second round.
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Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky: Jolted by Bolts
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Bobrovsky turned aside 26 shots Saturday during a 6-3 loss to the Lightning in Game 4 of the Panthers' first-round series.
After dropping the first three games of the series, Tampa Bay wasn't going down without a fight and took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission before finally pulling away in the third period. Bobrovsky has given up only seven goals in Florida's three wins, so this performance would seem to have more to do with the Bolts' desperation than the veteran netminder's play. He'll look to get back on track Monday in Game 5 as the Panthers try to clinch the series on home ice.
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Panthers' Eetu Luostarinen: Fiery effort in Game 4
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Luostarinen supplied an assist and five hits in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Lightning for Game 4 of the conference quarterfinals.
We'd be surprised if Luostarinen is ever the first player to come to mind when thinking about the Panthers roster, but the 25-year-old winger has 16 hits in this opening series. Indeed, physicality is always encouraged by teams chasing the Stanley Cup, and it should be known that Luostarinen is by no means devoid of offense. The Finn averaged 35 points between the last two regular seasons in a middle-six role, making him a sneaky option for playoff pools.
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Panthers' Evan Rodrigues: Delivers helper in loss
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Rodrigues supplied an assist in Game 4 on Saturday, albeit in a 6-3 road loss.
Rodrigues had three assists in four road games versus the Bolts in the regular season, but the Panthers were overwhelmed by the Lightning this time around as that team had been facing a possible first-round series sweep. Rodrigues just capped off his second straight season with 39 points, starting in 2022-23 as a member of the Avalanche. A third-line role limits his fantasy prospects, though he continues to work on the man advantage in the playoffs.
Bobrovsky will be between the visiting pipes in Tampa Bay on Saturday in Game 4, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
Bobrovsky has been solid in net to help the Panthers take a 3-0 stranglehold on the best-of-seven series. He has allowed seven goals on 71 shots (.901 save percentage) against the Lightning in the opening round. Bobrovsky also had a stellar regular season, going 37-22-6 with a 2.42 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Florida can advance to the second round of the playoffs with a victory in Game 4.
Lomberg (illness) will not be in the lineup Saturday for Game 4 versus Tampa Bay, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports.
Lomberg has missed the last two games and coach Paul Maurice said Friday that there will be no lineup changes for Game 4. Lomberg was pointless in Game 1, but he had four hits in only 6:32 of ice time. He managed five goals, two assists, 80 PIM and 179 hits in 75 games during the regular season.
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Panthers' Steven Lorentz: Two points including Game 3 winner
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Lorentz scored the game-winning goal and added an assist Thursday in a 5-3 victory over the Lightning in Game 3 of the Panthers' first-round series.
The 28-year-old fourth-liner went the entire regular season without producing a multi-point performance, but Lorentz came up big when it counted, flipping home a loose puck from the low slot midway through the third period to give Florida a 4-2 lead. He was a healthy scratch for Game 1 and has seen a total of just 11:56 in ice time during the last two contests, so a repeat of Thursday's heroics seems highly unlikely as the Panthers move forward in the playoffs.
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Panthers' Brandon Montour: Two-point effort in Game 3
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Montour produced a goal and an assist Thursday in a 5-3 win over the Lightning in Game 3 of the Panthers' first-round series.
Both points came in the second period as Florida took a 3-2 lead it wouldn't relinquish, and they were Montour's first of the postseason. The 30-year-old blueliner ended the regular season in a slump, managing only two points (both goals) over the last 11 contests, but Thursday's performance might be a sign he's heating up.
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Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk: Lights lamp twice in Game 3 win
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Tkachuk scored two goals on five shots while adding five hits, two blocked shots and a plus-1 rating Thursday in a 5-3 win over the Lightning in Game 3.
The 26-year-old winger opened and closed the scoring on the night, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy midway through the first period before firing home an empty-netter late in the third. Tkachuk has three goals and five points to fuel the Panthers' 3-0 start to the series, and Florida will try to secure the sweep Saturday back in Tampa Bay.
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Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky: Keeps rolling in Game 3
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Bobrovsky made 26 saves Thursday in a 5-3 win over the Lightning in Game 3 of the Panthers' first-round series.
Tampa Bay grabbed a 2-1 lead with two quick goals early in the second period, but Bobrovsky kept his focus and let the Florida offense get to work. The veteran netminder has the Panthers on the brink of a sweep, going 3-0 to begin the postseason while allowing seven goals on 71 shots (.901 save percentage). Look for him to make a fourth straight start in a potential series-clinching contest Saturday in Game 4.
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Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky: Starting in Game 3
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Bobrovsky will guard the road crease Thursday against Tampa Bay for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, per Alex Baumgartner.
Bobrovsky was solid in Game 2 on Tuesday, stopping 21 of 23 shots en route to a 3-2 win. The 35-year-old has played 72 career playoff games, recording a .905 save percentage and 31 total wins. The Lightning will undoubtedly be desperate to avoid falling in to a 3-0 series hole, so they'll likely come out firing Thursday.
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Panthers' Ryan Lomberg: Not playing Thursday
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Lomberg (illness) will not play in Thursday's Game 3 versus Tampa Bay, according to Colby Guy of Florida Hockey Now.
Lomberg accompanied the Panthers to Tampa Bay, but he will be replaced by Kyle Okposo on the fourth line for Game 3. Lomberg had five goals, two assists, 80 PIM and 179 hits in 75 games during the regular season.
Panthers' Ryan Lomberg: Might be available for Thursday
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Lomberg (illness) might return for Game 3 against Tampa Bay on Thursday, coach Paul Maurice told Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site Wednesday.
Lomberg didn't play in Florida's 3-2 overtime victory over the Lightning on Tuesday because of the illness. The 29-year-old had five goals, seven points, 80 PIM and 179 hits in 75 regular-season appearances. Lomberg will likely serve on the fourth line once he's healthy enough to return to the lineup.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Out at least one week
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Bennett (upper body) is expected to be sidelined for at least a week, the team announced Wednesday.
Bennett scored a goal and picked up an assist in Game 2 against the Lightning before being forced to leave the game due to his upper-body issue. According to coach Paul Maurice, the news on the 27-year-old winger's injury was better than anticipated. Based on his timeline, Bennett should be expected to miss at least the team's next three games, though it could be longer. In Bennett's absence, Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues could both be candidates to move into a top-six role.
