The Stanley Cup Playoffs are fast approaching, and we’re slowly beginning to gain an understanding of which teams are in and which are out. With the games fast approaching this week, there is hardly any breathing space for the players. Now the Florida Panthers are a lock for the playoffs; they face an interesting time ahead nonetheless. They are in third place in the Atlantic Division but if they want to top the division, an uphill battle awaits.

Yesterday, the Panthers went down fighting against the Canadiens in a close contest. The game went into overtime, with the Canadiens triumphing 3-2. Despite that tough loss just hours ago, they’re only 3 points away from topping the division and have the opportunity to come within touching distance soon. They take on the Maple Leafs later today, and a regulation win would get them level on points with the table-topping Leafs with 94 and allow them to pip the Tampa Bay Lightning in the standings for the time being.

Ahead of today’s game, the odds were released for the Florida Panthers to top the division. If they win in regulation, there is a 28% chance that the Panthers would end up winning their division. On the other hand, if the result turns out to be a loss in regulation, their chances of finishing 1st drop significantly to less than 7%. Furthermore, a loss would also mean that there is a 70% chance that they would end the season in third place, behind the Maple Leafs and the Lightning.

However, a win today against the Maple Leafs will be easier said than done, as momentum favors the Leafs. The Panthers have just lost 2 games on the bounce and enter the contest with a 4-5-1 record in their last 10 games. By contrast, the Leafs are on a mini 2-game winning streak, and their record stands at 6-3-1.

After today’s game against the Maple Leafs, the Florida Panthers have seven more games remaining, including one last game against the Leafs and one against the Lightning. So winning today would put them in a good position to gain some momentum and get the results they need. But even as their chances of topping the division hang on by a thin thread, head coach Paul Maurice made an honest revelation on the same.

The Florida Panthers are focused more on winning games rather than winning the division

It’s no secret that the Florida Panthers’ back-to-back defeats, home and away, at the hands of the Canadiens have put a damper on the mood in the Panthers camp. In addition, the losses have only made it more difficult for them to finish the season in first place. But Paul Maurice was less concerned about the ordinals. Rather, he prioritized the Panthers’ ability to win games against their rivals.

Speaking to the media after their latest game against the Canadiens, Maurice revealed, “It’s tough. You’re going to have to beat a team out of Ontario (Toronto or the Ottawa Senators), and you’re going to have to beat a team out of Florida (Tampa Bay) to get to where you want to go (the Stanley Cup Final).

Finishing first may come as a nice bonus, but for the Florida Panthers, they have more important things to worry about. “I see no value in (finishing first),” said Maurice. “The second game of the year we played Ottawa. They beat us with a different game than they’d played before. They’re in the mix, too.”

While the Maple Leafs are looking to extend their dominance, the Florida Panthers are looking not just to keep their chances of topping the division alive, but to defeat an important rival, as Paul Maurice said. It also gives the Panthers a chance to shake off their back-to-back defeats against the Habs. All-in-all, it promises to be an exciting encounter to watch for hockey fans.