Barkov: 'Really excited' for Game 3; Panthers lineup may change
Published
The Florida Panthers kept an optimistic tone ahead of Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday morning.
The Panthers trail the second-round series 2-0 as the team gets set to try to cut the deficit on home ice.
"It's not the most ideal thing to be down 2-0, but I think the mood is good," captain Aleksander Barkov said. "We're happy to be back home. We're happy to play in front of our fans.
"I'm really excited for tonight's challenge."
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said later on Thursday that the team's lineup may see changes with multiple players being considered game-time decisions for health reasons. Maurice did not specify which players are dealing with injuries.
Florida made two changes for Game 2, with Aaron Ekblad returning from suspension on defence and Mackie Samoskevich replacing A.J. Greer on the fourth line.
The Maple Leafs used the same lines as Games 1 and 2 in their morning skate on Friday and are expected to use the same lineup for a seventh straight game.
"It’s going to be a huge pushback," Toronto forward Matthew Knies said after the session. "It’s going to be the hardest game we’ve played so far. I think we’re up for the challenge. "
The Panthers suffered a 5-4 loss in Game 1 and a 4-3 loss in Game 2, though Maurice was happier with his team's effort on Wednesday.
"We didn't love our Game 1 but we liked our game here tonight," Maurice said post-game. "So to come out on the road, we lost two one-goal games and we get to go back home now."
The Panthers have reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past seasons, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 last year for their first title.
"We knew it was going to be a really tough battle," Panthers forward Brad Marchand added Wednesday. "We didn't expect to roll over them by any means. So we have our work cut out. They're playing really well."