The Florida Panthers have had a fantastic start to the 2025 NHL playoffs. After defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning by a 6-2 final score in Game 1, the Panthers followed that up with a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Bolts in Game 2. With this, they are now heading back home for Games 3 and 4 with a 2-0 series lead.

As expected, the Panthers' top stars like Sergei Bobrovsky, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Aleksander Barkov have been big reasons for the team's early success in this series. However, veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt has also been a major difference-maker for the Panthers this series, scoring three goals in just two games.

According to NHL Public Relations, Schmidt has tied an NHL record with the most goals scored by a defenseman through the first two games of the playoffs. The only other blueliners in NHL history to achieve this same feat are Nicklas Lindstrom (Detroit Red Wings, 1995), Steve Chiasson (Red Wings, 1991), Mike O'Connell (Boston Bruins, 1981), Dick Redmond (Chicago Blackhawks, 1973), and George Boucher (Ottawa Senators, 1921). 

This is undoubtedly a nice accomplishment for Schmidt and shows just how impressive he has played early on. He has also already matched his current career high in playoff goals, as he also scored three in 20 games during the 2018 NHL playoffs with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Since signing a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Panthers this past off-season, Schmidt has provided solid value to Florida's blueline. He has simply fit in nicely with the Panthers, posting five goals, 19 points, and a plus-4 rating in 80 games. Now, he is giving them great value in the playoffs early on and continuing to show the Panthers that they made the right call taking a shot on after the Winnipeg Jets bought him out. 

Recent Panthers News 

Sasha Barkov status for Game 3 remains unknown following illegal hit from Brandon HagelA small group of Florida Panthers took the ice in Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

Sergei Bobrovsky locked back into playoff-mode, providing elite goaltending for PanthersSergei Bobrovsky didn’t have a particularly busy night in terms of stopping pucks on Thursday.

Three takeaways: Panthers defend well in own zone, penalty kill comes up bigThe Florida Panthers will be a happy bunch when they take the short flight home to Fort Lauderdale.

Some believe that the Montreal Canadiens are as good as buried down 2-0 against the Washington Capitals in their first-round series. Others believe that you’re not in trouble in the Stanley Cup playoffs until you’ve lost a game at home, and then there’s John Scott.

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Former NHL enforcer and one-time Canadiens player John Scott had this to say on X this morning:

Big game in Montreal tonight. I could honestly see the Habs taking the next two games at home and tying the series. They've been right there. I believe #GoHabsGo

— John Scott (@johnscott_32) April 25, 2025

While Scott only suited up for one game with the Habs, he did skate in 286 NHL games, most of which were with the Buffalo Sabres. The tough guy racked up 544 penalty minutes in his career and was elected to the All-Star Game during the 2015-16 season when a “Vote John Scott in the All-Star Game campaign took social media by storm.

He played for the Arizona Coyotes then but was traded to the Canadiens along with Victor Bartley in return for Jared Tinordi and Stefan Fournier. The Habs immediately sent him down to the St. John’s Ice Caps. Some believed the trade aimed to keep him out of the All-Star Game, but he did participate. He was even named the MVP of the game, thanks to scoring two goals and another social media campaign.

After the event, the NHL amended its rule book to make players demoted to the AHL ineligible to play in its All-Star Game. Whichever way you look at it, Scott was liked by the fans, and after that post, he must have conquered a few new fans in Montreal.

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The Stanley Cup Playoffs are off and running, and The Hockey Show is all over it!

We’re one week into the best postseason in all of professional sports and there has been no shortage of great storylines, exciting moments and controversial topics to discuss.

Joining hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork this week was friend of the show Adnan Virk from NHL on Prime.

Among the topics discussed with Adnan were the Los Angeles Kings possibly, finally getting out of the first round against the Edmonton Oilers, the New York Islanders parting ways with Lou Lamoriello, the surprising starts to the playoffs by the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, and the disappointing start by the New Jersey Devils.

Adnan also stuck around for the weekly Florida Panthers segment, where they got into the Cats taking a surprising (to some) 2-0 series lead on the Tampa Bay Lightning after picking up a pair of victories on the road.

A big topic of discussion was the hit on Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov by Tampa’s Brandon Hagel, and the reaction by some in the media following the dangerous hit.

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Sasha Barkov status for Game 3 remains unknown following illegal hit from Brandon Hagel

Sergei Bobrovsky locked back into playoff-mode, providing elite goaltending for Panthers

Three takeaways: Panthers defend well in own zone, penalty kill comes up big

Bobrovsky brilliant, Barkov injured as Panthers shutout Tampa to take 2-0 series lead

Panthers look to be better in Game 2, leave Tampa with commanding series lead

In a series where Ottawa Senators winger Ridly Greig and Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz have both been accused of trading some serious cheap shots, it was almost comical on Friday when the NHL stepped in with swift justice for some harmless warm-up antics.

The league has fined the Senators $25,000 and fined Nick Cousins $2,083, both for unsportsmanlike conduct just before Game 3 on Thursday. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted a grainy video of the “incident” on social media. 

Here’s what NHL is looking at from last night. “Friend of Bieksa” Nick Cousins shoots puck at Stolarz. NHL not crazy about pre-game stuff…also clamped down on funny Scheifele/Hofer standoff in Blues/Jets series pic.twitter.com/ZF08AZwdO4

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 25, 2025

The clip shows Cousins either passing the puck toward Stolarz or, at worst, taking the lightest of shots toward him. Cousins and Stolarz, it’s worth noting, won a Stanley Cup together with the Florida Panthers last season. 

When head coach Travis Green was asked on Friday by TSN's Mark Masters about the so-called incident, he leaned into the nonsense with a deadpan response that got a big laugh from the media room.

"Well Mark, it's an active investigation," Green said. "I don't know if I should be commenting."

Green gave the “story” the exact amount of seriousness it deserved, sarcastically treating it like a major crime.

"I'm kidding. Yeah, I saw the video. Cousins and Stolarz have played together. I don't know, yeah, he's probably trying to either laugh at him or make a joke or get him off his game, and it is what it is."

After back-to-back overtime losses, Green’s levity struck just the right tone on Friday, a nice respite before the Senators try to climb out of a deep hole in this series.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Senators Fall To Leafs Again 3-2 In Overtime Thursday, Now Trail Series 3-0The Ottawa Senators' first playoff run in eight years has barely started, but they're already on the brink of elimination following another 3-2 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.