Matthew Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov in New York: Florida Panthers at Rangers, Game 1

Matthew Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov in New York: Florida Panthers at Rangers, Game 1

start front left with Jameson I got to First for Chucky just obviously after what you went through last year was last year’s ECF more of a obviously being a new experience more of a a glow kind of feeling where is this one maybe feel a little more of business just given the fact that you were here and already did this last year uh I mean I think yeah a little bit of that um last year I think we were just kind of riding the wave and going into it much like this year but um going into this we we know what it’s going to take to to ultimately come out on top so um you know last year was uh was a good Conference Final even though we we won four straight but um you know we’re expecting the Rangers to to give us a very good challenge they’ve been the best team all regular season and so far they’re the best team in playoffs so um should be a great uh it’s a great opportunity for us to show what we’re capable of but it’s going to be a great series and then for Sasha you and tro obviously spent a lot of years together just have you talked to him at all and what’s it like just kind of meeting down the road here after so many years apart just kind of seeing each other again in a big series well well yeah I mean wherever we whenever we play against each other we obviously cross bats and maybe say hi but obviously not during this time maybe after so I’m I’m happy for him he’s doing really well here and uh he’s playing really well so I’m really really happy for him left side front row yeah for Matthew Boston series bunch of assists no goals you obviously bunch of shots on goal I know during the beginning of the regular season you found ways to impact the game outside of scoring just how much did that help you with what’s going on in the playoffs and obviously I know the selflessness of the group knowing as long as if somebody’s scoring you guys are fine with how it is just how have you how much is that me the mentality part that helped you as you got through that second round well I think that’s the mindset of everybody in our in our lineup it doesn’t matter who’s scoring the goals um you know who’s making the plays who’s doing the hits who’s blocking the shots just everybody’s got to chip in some way and um it could be somebody different each and every night but um you have to find a way to positively impact your team so um yeah um I’d say last series was not a ton of goal scoring and more of the playmaking but um more of the physicality but we’ll see what this uh what this round holds for for myself and the team but whatever I can for to be a positive impact for the team it’s it’s G to kind of whatever it takes type of mindset for us so um you know it starts with with Barky and myself and leading the way um and playing the right way and ultimately just showing the guys that we going to do whatever it takes to come out on top here front hey guys I’m Josh from Fox down in Miami Matthew was listening earlier when you talking to Pat mcae just how much do you feel more eyes on you guys at this stage versus maybe the rest of the season yeah well we’re the only game on um you know on the nights we’re playing there’s nobody else uh there’s nobody else on so all eyes will be on us um and that just adds on to the whole New York City MSG um playing the number one team in the league that’s just it all adds it all adds up right now so this is a very exciting time of year um to begin with no matter who you’re playing and just to be playing the New York Rangers um it just it just adds so much to it so um this is a huge stage for us for our team um and it’s different than last year for sure so we’re really looking forward to it left side front row and this is for both of you um pal Marie said training camp is the foundation of what this team has been able to accomplish this season what’s been the biggest thing that stands out to you about how that is translated to what you’ve been able to do thus far uh yeah of course it starts with the working hard and that’s that’s what you do during the camp obviously polls pols camps are are really intense and uh a lot of hard work and uh you can quit quit at any time so it starts there and then when the regular season starts you know like in all those tough situations tough travels and tough moments in the game you know you’ve been kind of kind of through it a little bit in the in the camp so it helps a lot when when you’re facing a lot of adversity and that type of stuff so uh we’ve done it now twice and I’m in the camp twice so uh we’ve been through through through that so it helps a lot in the games yeah Camp is brutal so it it uh I think if anything it just brings you closer together and um you know at a time of year like this you need to be as tight as possible and that’s not an issue with our group at all on the right side hey Sasha um you’ve obviously with the team now for over a decade the franchise for over a decade um it’s assumed that you guys are not going to play for championships which is obviously not how it had always been for the Panthers and I was wondering from your perspective just to to think about the way the franchise has evolved in that decade to now being where they are as one of the elite teams in the league well it’s uh a lot of fun to be a part of that especially the way when my first few years obviously as an individual my first few years I was just trying to make sure I want to I want to make the team and want to want to play in NHL and obviously fortunate that I’m I was a panther since day one and uh made the team and play but now ever since ever since that I feel like it would be nice to to have a good team and uh to to play really well and make the playoffs and make some runs and I feel like that’s last last few years have been that so it’s the best time best time of my life right now and enjoying every single day and making these uh playoff runs and obviously we have ultimate goal here in front of us and uh we’re working really hard every single day to to achieve that the right side second uh Matthew in in what ways do you see New York as a different threat or a different challenge than Tampa and Boston I would say um well they’re similar to Tampa with their their power play and penalty kill um in goal tending um I think that’s pretty similar to Tampa I would say they um are very very talented upfront and their defense kind of can do it all type of Defense um I would say to Boston their their defensive game is is hard kind of like they were but um I’d say they’re they’re more like a Tampa than than Boston so um you know we we’ve got our our hands with some of their forwards up front and their speed and their skill um got to stay out of the box against them but I think the main thing right now is what we’ve been you know dealing with all playoffs and that’s uh you know their one of their big strengths is in goal so um we have to get in front of them like we been able to do with um with vasileski and swam in the last few series and um you know just cirkin playing unbelievable right now so I’d say that’s uh you know one of if not their biggest strength so um I guess there’s really not a whole lot of differences between between the three teams that we’re playing maybe Boston a little bit with their defensive game but um they’re three great teams so when you have teams like that it’s it’s hard to it’s hard to you know pick what’s similar and different they’re all they been all great uh all great challenges

Florida Panthers forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Sasha Barkov speak in New York on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in a press availability before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.

Florida will open up the Eastern Conference final on Wednesday night against the New York Rangers.

Game 1 is at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 8 (ESPN).

Panthers Knock Out Bruins – In Boston – Again: https://floridahockeynow.com/florida-panthers-2-boston-bruins-1-game-6-playoffs/

Sasha Barkov After Game 6 Win – ‘I Feel Great’: https://floridahockeynow.com/sasha-barkov-after-florida-panthers-win-i-feel-great/

For the most in-depth coverage of the Florida Panthers:
— Visit Florida Hockey Now — https://floridahockeynow.com

— Subscribe to Florida Hockey Now: https://floridahockeynow.com/membership-account/subscribe-to-fhn/

— Like Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flahockeynow/

—Follow us on Twitter: 
* https://twitter.com/GeorgeRichards
* https://twitter.com/colbydguy
* https://twitter.com/thegovman

— Subscribe to the FHN YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@floridahockeynow

* Visit the FHN Team Shops:
* TeePublic http://tee.pub/lic/UKrz2m2wY6Q
* RedBubble https://www.redbubble.com/people/FloridaHockey/shop

The Panthers are coming off a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins in the second round. Florida won that best-of-7 series in 6.

On Friday, the Panthers trailed 1-0 late in the first period on a goal from Pavel Zacha.

Florida scored the next two.

Anton Lundell tied it at 1 in the second period with Gus Forsling winning it with 1:33 left to play.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves in the win; Jeremy Swayman made 26 in the loss.

Florida has beaten the Bruins in the past two postseasons.

This will be Florida’s first playoff meeting with the Rangers since the 1997 first round when New York won in 5.

——

Continue to follow https://floridahockeynow.com throughout this season — visit us there and consider subscribing to support the local journalists independently covering the Florida Panthers.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the FHN YouTube channel for video throughout the 2023-24 NHL season.

Thank you all for the support!

#FlaPanthers #timetohunt #floridahockeynow #fhn #maurice #bennett #marchand #bobrovsky #lundell #barkov #bruins #nhlbruins #stanleycup #nhlplayoffs

Video Courtesy Florida Panthers