So we’ve got a series after all.

A change of scenery and return home helped the

The playoffs are here. Get caught up on all the latest news and preview content:
• Schedule, scores, highlights
• Conn Smythe Watch
• Wyshynski’s playoff bracket
• Top 50 players in the playoffs
• Cup Final, Conn Smythe odds
• Subscribe to ESPN+
• Stream the NHL on ESPN

The Panthers were 0-for-3 going into the third period. In total? The Panthers are 0-for-10 on the power play in the series. That’s a jarring revelation for a team that finished with the No. 10 power play in the regular season and had a 27.9% postseason success rate coming into the series.

Another statistic that amplifies the Panthers’ struggles: The Golden Knights were 14th out of the 16 teams that reached the postseason on the penalty kill with a 63% success rate before facing the Panthers. — Clark

Tough enough

Matthew Tkachuk heads to the locker room after big hit

Matthew Tkachuk heads off the ice after taking a big hit from Keegan Kolesar in the first period of Game 3.

The parallels between Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk have been well-documented in this series. Two U.S.-born superstars, acquired from the teams that originally drafted them, who had transformative effects on the Golden Knights and Panthers, respectively. They’re scoring leaders for their teams, they play with swagger. Two sides of the same coin.

That extends to the physical punishment they’ve taken in the series. Recall in Game 2 when Eichel attempted to skate up ice with the puck and ended up getting obliterated by Tkachuk on a check. Eichel skated off to the concern of fans and teammates. But he returned the following period and assisted on a goal.

Just 5:54 into the first period of Game 3, Tkachuk received a pass in his own zone near the blue line. As he turned up ice, a streaking Keegan Kolesar put his shoulder into Tkachuk, knocking the Panthers star to the ice. When Tkachuk returned to the Panthers bench, he was looked at by a team trainer. He returned for a shift during a Panthers power play, but then left the ice and the bench for the rest of the period. He didn’t come out for the start of the second period, but eventually returned and skated regular shifts, while enduring punishment from Knights defenders.

In both cases, the toughness of these two pacesetting superstars was Cup-worthy. — Wyshynski

Sizing things up

Given what Marchessault is doing and the fact that the NHL draft is later this month, this seems like a good time to reignite the conversation around size. Watching a 5-foot-9 man on skates fly around and terrorize a team that used to employ him makes for interesting theater. But it also raises a question about the importance of size.

Look at this year’s Cup Final. Elite Prospects lists the Golden Knights as the NHL’s fifth-tallest team while the Panthers rank 29th. They’re evidence that teams can have contrasting size yet still be in a position to compete for the championship.

Now consider this year’s top prospects. Connor Bedard, the presumed No. 1 pick, stands about 5-10. Matvei Michkov, who is expected to be a top-three pick, also is listed at 5-10. Will Smith, who has a chance to be a top-five pick, is just under 6 feet. Those three along with Ryan Leonard, Gabriel Perreault, Brayden Yager, Zach Benson and Oliver Moore are all examples of top forwards in this year’s draft class who have been listed at 5-11 or shorter. — Clark