Ryan Kennedy and Jacob Stoller discuss the Florida Panthers being favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Anton Lundell and Aleksander Barkov [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA3MDc5NjI2MDY3OTQ1NDUy/usatsi_20870222.jpg] Anton Lundell and Aleksander Barkov SUNRISE, Fla. — When the Florida Panthers suffered a devastating blow in losing Aleksander Barkov during Game 2, Anton Lundell made it seem like the Selke Trophy winner never left the ice. Lundell set up two goals and filled in for his namesake during crucial stretches as the Florida Panthers posted a 4-1 comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2. The Panthers now lead the Stanley Cup final, 2-0. “I feel like I'm playing my best hockey in my life. I'm having fun,” Lundell said. "I believe in myself, and I see myself as a guy who can be the difference-maker.” An unsung hero as Florida’s third-line center, Lundell has long been lauded in these parts as 'Baby Barkov.' The 22-year-old may not bear any physical resemblance to his elder other than size, but their elite skill set and two-way hockey DNA are near-identical. Heck, Lundell's No. 15 jersey is even one less than Barkov's 16. "I see it, too,” Lundell said of his nickname. “I've heard it during the playoffs more than you think, from the media and from my teammates. I think it's pretty fun. I mean, Barky is an unreal player, so I don't get offended about the nickname.” On Sunday, the 12th overall pick in 2020 first flaunted his playmaking ability to erase Edmonton’s 1-0 lead midway into the second period. The Espoo, Finland, native charged up ice into the left circle and left a drop pass in the slot to countryman Niko Mikkola, whose game-tying blast wiped out Edmonton’s only lead of the series at 9:34. It was Lundell’s second setup, which mirrored Barkov’s get-on-my-back leadership in tough situations. When the Panthers captain exited midway in the third following an elbow to the face by Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, Lundell stepped up on the ensuing power play. Using his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame to power through a check along the left boards by defenseman Evan Bouchard, Lundell then fired a shot, which Evan Rodrigues tipped to give Florida a 3-1 cushion. “He’s a very good guy,” said Vladimir Tarasenko, who lit up with an ear-to-ear grin when asked about his linemate. “I’m happy to see him produce. I’m enjoying playing with him. He’s very intelligent and easy to play with.” Lundell said he entered the season with high expectations after a difficult sophomore campaign. He delivered a respectable rebound, besting his numbers in goals (13) and assists (22), but also took pride in his defensive duties. "I'm not going to lie, I wanted to score more goals. I wanted to have more points," Lundell said. "It is weird because I was playing great, coaches were happy, it just didn't go in. I don't know why, but I just stayed with it. I tried to do my best, work hard, wanted to get better.” Lundell carried the momentum into the playoffs. Through 19 games and at least two more to play, he has set personal bests in goals (three), assists (11), points (14) and a plus-8 rating. His Game 2 output moved him into the top 20 of post-season scoring leaders and fourth on the Panthers behind more familiar names like Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Lundell is even doing it with less ice time than the aforementioned trio, logging just over 16 minutes on average. “He's already really a mature player of his age,” said lineman Eetu Luostarinen. “He's already been like that for a couple of years. He just plays with so much confidence. It's great to see how he's been growing up.” "I'm happy to be able to help the team now in playoffs when it really matters, and be able to step up, me and my line when the team needs that the most,” Lundell said. “Sometimes it doesn't go your way, but just believe and trust the process, you know?" A factor in Lundell's improvement was the development of a more physical game. Lundell credits Coach Paul Maurice in helping him add that element. In his first two seasons, Lundell averaged around 1.5 hits per game. In 2023-24, that number jumped to 3.5. In the playoffs, it has rocketed to 7. His willingness to use his size proved critical in his setup on Rodrigues’ goal on Sunday. "Coming from Europe, from Finland, big rink, you don't need to hit. You just need to stay in a good position," Lundell said. "(Maurice) and his coaching team brought that in last year and, obviously, it's working. It's the way to play here. All the great players are playing that way. That's one thing that's helped me a lot." With Barkov’s injury and status shrouded in typical post-season silence, the Panthers may need a repeat performance when the series shifts to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4. It’s likely the “baby” moniker will stick for the long term, but without question, Lundell is coming of age this post-season. And for the player who grew up idolizing Barkov, Lundell would love nothing more than to do his mentor proud. "Since I came here, he's helped me a lot,” Lundell said. “He made me feel at home right away, which I'm really, really happy about, and I appreciate it a lot. “He's one of the biggest idols for hockey players in Finland. All the kids starting to play, they want to be Barkov. We go to outdoor rinks and they want to do the (between-the-legs) Barkov move. You see how big players do something big, and you try to learn it, and you want to be like them.” After Monday, Finland’s future stars have another to look up to. 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