Rangers-Panthers Game 1 Notebook: Heavyweight tilt has New York abuzz

NEW YORK — Florida Panthers centreman Anton Lundell was only 13 years old when he and his family made the long journey from Espoo, Finland, to New York City for a vacation.

The Lundells made a point to tour Madison Square Garden, and it was during that vacation that the aspiring NHLer had his eyes opened to the history of The World's Most Famous Arena.

"Just walk to around it, that was the first time I actually understood that it's a pretty awesome arena and a lot has happened there," Lundell recalls. "So, I can't wait to play."

With the New York Rangers having six days off to heal up and to hype up their hosting of the Eastern Conference final, and with the co-tenant Knicks bowing out in Round 2, the buzz over this team's bid to win a Stanley Cup on the 30th anniversary of its last is palpable.

The magic of MSG, the appetite of Rangers fans desperate to party like it's 1994...

"I think you grow to appreciate that more when you're in it, and you're living it every day. You see how special it is. You see the passion of the fans, which is unbelievable," says first-year Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. "The building, the history that goes behind this team is very special. So, to be here, at this point is a great thing for all of us."

The NHL playoffs have reached one-game-per-night status, so hockey's spotlight will be directed solely at the house that brought us Frazier-Ali for a heavyweight tilt.

The Rangers and Panthers both won their respective divisions, both have recent Presidents' Trophies on the mantle, and both burst through their divisional rounds with relative ease (the Cats losing just three games total, the Blueshirts only two).

These are deep, experienced, physical squads backed by A-plus goaltenders, robust defence corps, and blessed with game-breakers.

This series will be loud and nasty, fierce and fast. No Cinderellas here, but we're gonna have a ball.

"It's a dream," the Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk says. "MSG on the road is my favourite rink to play in just because of the history and everything that has to do with the city of New York. It's a great city. They love their sports. It's going to be a great atmosphere.”

Drop the puck already.

More like Filip Healed-til, am I right?

Since suffering an upper-body injury on Nov. 2, Filip Chytil has played all of 12 minutes and two seconds. That was in Game 3 of Round 2. He was then scratched for the remainder of the Hurricanes series due to illness and soreness.

Well, the break between series has served the forward well, as he's gotten strong practice reps with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko and will draw back into the Rangers lineup for Game 1 on Wednesday.

"It's just so much fun to be here with everybody, be involved in all the drills, every battle and it's going to be nice to be involved in tomorrow's game as well," Chytil told reporters Tuesday.

With Blake Wheeler now recovered from the gruesome leg injury he suffered on Feb. 15, and impact rookie Matt Rempe champing at the bit, Laviolette has plenty of options at forward. (Both will be scratched in Game 1.)

"You'd love to play more players than you have," Laviolette said of the constant lineup debates being waged at Rangers HQ. "You have to make tough decisions as players become available.

"There has to be a hole in the lineup."

Panthers coach Paul Maurice, who formed a bond with former Jets captain Wheeler in Winnipeg, is rooting for the veteran.

“I’m hoping he plays — for him,” Maurice said. “He’s a hardworking man. That injury, to come back from it, to be good, he will have done everything he possibly can to get back.”

Selke for two

Aleksander Barkov says it "feels amazing" to win his second Frank J. Selke Trophy, and he did it in a landslide, earning 165 first-place votes.

The player with the second-most first-place votes was linemate Sam Reinhart, with 12.

Reinhart finished fourth overall in voting for the game's best defensive forward, and Barkov is quick to share the credit.

"I gotta give credit to Reino. I pretty much spend my whole time on the ice with him," Barkov says. "I wasn't in Buffalo, but ever since he came here, he's been one of those perfect players who can do it all. He plays in any situation. He takes big faceoffs. He can do it all — and at an elite level."

While the concept of "offensive chemistry" routinely pops up when discussing skilled linemates, seldom, Maurice notes, do we credit "defensive chemistry." Usually, observers simply chalk it up to work ethic.

"OK. They work hard, so they're good defensive players. But the reads, the sticks, penalty kill — to be aggressive or not be aggressive. They're equally gifted offensively and defensively. That's a very rare thing. I mean, for Sam Reinhart to put up [57] goals, to get into that range you've got to anticipate some plays. And sometimes you're going to be wrong, but you just don't see them on the video being wrong on a play," Maurice gushes.

"They anticipate it, and it's in your net. The other way they describe that is cheating. Average players cheat; great players anticipate. It's the same decision, just one gets it done, right? So, there's none of that in either man's game, which is fantastic leadership from a coach's point of view. You don't have to pull teeth to get your players to defend hard, because they've got to sit on the same bench as those two guys."

No Friend Zone

Florida starter Sergei Bobrovsky is tight with Rangers superstar Artemi Panarin.

Vincent Trocheck was drafted by Florida and played seven seasons with Barkov & Co. before erupting for a career-best 14 points in these playoffs as a Blueshirt.

Florida rental Vladimir Tarasenko was representing the other side just a year ago.

Maurice coached the Rangers' Wheeler, Jacob Trouba, and Jack Roslovic for years in Winnipeg. Plus, he and Laviolette took turns warming each other's seat as coach of the Carolina Hurricanes a while back.

As happy as these frenemies are for the opposition's success, it's all business for the next two weeks.

"I don't think it affects you even a bit. You don't even think about it," Maurice explains. "That puck drops, and that is so far from something that you would consider.

"You're not laying off hits on a guy because you go as hard as you can, as fast as you can, then you get off the ice. I think it's great stories on the way in. I think it makes for a good handshake line. But I don't think it'll affect the series at all."

Special teams loom as key to victory

For Florida, the more even-strength action, the better. The Panthers control 56.1 per cent of shots and lead 22-17 in goals at 5-on-5.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are only outscoring their playoff opponents 19-18 at 5-on-5 and were outscored 13-12 in those situations by the Hurricanes in Round 2.

New York wants an easy whistle. The Rangers' power play boasts a wicked 31.4 per cent success rate in the playoffs — best in the East.

Florida is less dangerous on the man-advantage; its 22 per cent success rate easily ranks lowest among the final four teams standing. Further, New York's penalty kill (89.5 per cent) is also tops in the conference.

Pretty simple: The more 5-on-4 play, the better New York's shot at dethroning the reigning Prince of Wales Trophy winners.

Our pick: Panthers in 7.