Status of Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins unknown after both missed significant time during Game 4
The Florida Panthers are in Las Vegas for a road game against the Golden Knights.
That’s the simplicity of the situation.
Win a road game, earn one on home ice.
Sure, there is a bit more context and gravity behind the matchup, but ultimately, it’s still simply a hockey game.
It just has a bit more weight behind it.
Florida will take the ice on Tuesday hoping it’s not the last time they suit up to compete against a title contending team and their hostile crowd…for at least a few days.
Florida enters Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final trailing the Golden Knights in the best-of-7 series three games to one.
There is no margin for error.
The Panthers need to win every game until their season is over.
That’s the task they face if the Cats want to win the Stanley Cup.
Three wins. No loses.
It doesn’t seem like that massive of a task, when looking at the big picture.
One game. One win.
It’s as simple as it gets.
Florida hopes to have a full roster ready to compete for their season in Game 5, but that may be a bit of a tall order.
When the Cats took the ice on Monday afternoon in Las Vegas, there were a few noticeable absences.
At the end of the day, that won’t matter.
Nobody, including and especially the Golden Knights, has any care in the world about who takes the ice for Florida on Tuesday night.
All that matters is who leaves the ice with a win.
If Vegas comes out on top, it will mean the franchise has won its first Stanley Cup.
A Florida win would mean there will be a Game 6 on Friday night in Sunrise.
LINEUP NOTES
Florida’s 20-man roster for Game 5 remains a bit of a mystery heading into Tuesday.
There are several Cats who may or may not suit up for what may end up being the biggest game in franchise history.
Forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Nick Cousins missed a decent amount of time in Game 4. The status of either player remains to be determined after both missed Monday’s practice at T-Mobile Arena.
Head coach Paul Maurice said he would have an update for Game 5 on Tuesday, we just have to wait and see what it may be,
On the Vegas side of things, there is no reason to suspect that head coach Bruce Cassidy will make any changes on a team one win away from winning the Stanley Cup.
That being the case, it’s safe to assume the goaltending matchup will once again be Sergei Bobrovsky facing off against Adin Hill.
LINEUP UPDATES
Maurice did not say who would or wouldn't be playing in Game 5, and that includes Tkachuk.
Cousins was on the ice for Florida's optional morning skate and seemed to be moving fine, so that may bode well for his status.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Sasha Barkov on Game 5 mindset: “We know the situation. It’s the Stanley Cup final and we're down 3-1 but all we’ve got to do is come here and play the game and think about how to win it. One game at a time, one period at a time. We’ll both focus on that, and all the preparation goes to that, so no matter what happens anywhere else, we will think about what happens in our locker room and what happens on the ice.”
Marc Staal on thriving in tough situations: “This time of year, we have enjoyed every second of it and we're not going to stop now. We've enjoyed being in these pressure filled moments in these games, and we've grown through them, and it's been a lot of fun doing it. Obviously we want to keep that rolling as long as we can here.”
Colin White on potentially playing more during Game 5: “I'm going to prepare the way I prepare for every game. Nothing changes for me. I go into every game being ready for whenever my number is called to go on the ice, and if there is a chance I'll play more tonight, so be it. I'll be ready for that opportunity.”
Brandon Montour on drawing from the Boston series: “I think we have a good mindset of just playing free, playing the right way and just sticking to what we're doing great and focused on that game. I think each game in that series we focused on that next play, that next big shift and the next game, and no matter the outcome, we came to work to search for that win.”