FORT LAUDERDALE – Hard work pays off.
In a critical Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round, the fourth line of A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich helped push the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an exhilrating Friday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
“They work so hard every single day,” head coach Paul Maurice said of the line after Friday’s win. “It just felt like we needed a bit of a style change, and they play a different style of game. They’ve been good. They played really well for us in the last month and a half, exceptionally well for us.
Playing much of the final regular season stretch together, the line’s chemistry and impact picked up where it left off.
“The biggest thing for us was just having no hesitation out there,” Greer said following Saturday’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex. “Which we did great with, getting pucks deep and when there were opportunities to attack, we did.”
Providing some extra umph to the bench and a sold-out crowd, the line combined for 11 hits.
“It’s something that we talked about when we were out working together, prepare as if we’re playing,” said defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who kept in game shape while skating the line near the end of the regular season. “Hit each other as hard as we possibly can. Get those bumps before you have to go out and do it on the ice.”
Not just enforcing their will with physicality, the hardworking line controlled the pace of play while deployed.
“The coaches are so great with us, the guys that aren’t playing,” said Gadjovich. “We push it, we push it in the gym, push it on the ice, so that if we get called, we will be ready and that’s what happened today.”
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, the fourth line had a 62.50% offensive advantage at 5-on-5.
“They work so hard out there; they turned the tide for our team tonight,” said forward Carter Verhaeghe. “They were heavy on pucks, played in the [offensive] zone, and were forechecking. They’re all great players. We are such a deep team that we are fortunate that those guys can come in and make a huge impact in a playoff game.”
Generating seven scoring chances, the three veteran forwards were rewarded in the third period with a goal that put the Panthers up 4-3 over the Maple Leafs in the second period.
Jonah Gadjovich makes it 4-3 in the second period against Toronto in Game 3.
In his NHL playoff debut, Gadjovich sounded the goal horn and got 19,500-plus people on their feet after a shot on net from Nosek clipped off his body before sailing into the twine.
Showing appreciation for the fourth line’s efforts after the win, overtime hero Brad Marchand gave Nosek the game puck to place in the team’s playoff win counter.
“It was a nice feeling, for sure,” said Nosek, who made his Panthers playoff debut. “It doesn’t matter who scores… the most important thing overall is to get the win. We try to focus on helping the team and it was for sure nice to be recognized for doing a good job at that.”
The Panthers and Maple Leafs will be back at it again for Game 4 at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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