Category: NHL

SUNRISE — For the first time ever, FLA Live Arena will host the Eastern Conference finals. If everything goes right, South Florida hockey fans will get the chance to see the Panthers clinch their second-ever trip to the Stanley Cup finals on home ice. The NHL released the schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night, and the Panthers will host Games 3 and 4. They will also host Game 6, if it is needed. Florida’s first two clinching wins in the postseason have both come on the road, first in Boston and then Toronto. None of the Panthers’ games conflict with the Heat’s schedule....

When Matthew Tkachuk’s shot slid free behind Toronto goalie Joseph Woll midway through the third period and Sam Reinhart shoved it in the net, the question if it would be the start of another Florida Panthers’ comeback that’s defined their playoff path. Not this game. Not this night. Not against a Toronto team that survived with a 2-1 win Wednesday night to get the series back to Canada for Friday’s Game 5. It’s still the Panthers series, up 3-1. And the fact only four NHL teams have ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit remains relevant. There’s a crack of hope for Toronto, though. The Panthers,...

TORONTO — Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves and the Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist, and Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling also scored for Florida. Ryan O’Reilly and Alexander Kerfoot scored for Toronto, which blew an early 2-0 lead. Ilya Samsonov stopped 26 shots. The best-of-seven series shifts to Sunrise for Game 3 on Sunday. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday. Toronto led 2-1 following a spirited, chippy first period, but trouble found the Maple Leafs in...