Hockey Tactics 2024: the perfect playoff companion
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Understand key tactical matchups as you watch the game
For my money, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov is the NHL’s Most Valuable Player.
The Lightning simply wouldn’t be in the playoffs without Kucherov’s absurd production (44 goals & 100 assists at the time of writing).
So how can the Florida Panthers, who owns home-ice advantage against Tampa, neutralize the best winger in the world?
Simple: To their utmost to match Sasha Barkov’s forward line and Gustav Forsling’s defense pair to the Kucherov unit.
As dangerous as Kucherov is as a shooter, he is even better at using his gravity to create space in the slot for his teammates.
FLA’s top two-way center and best shutdown D will have to deny TBL86’s favorite play: the entry delay.
Watch clips:
Barkov/Forsling’s mandate is simple, though by no means easy:
Gap up tightly to Kucherov as his flies the defensive zone on Tampa’s breakout
Backcheck through the middle and neutralize high-danger passing options
Most importantly, counter-attack and force TBL86 and friends to play in their zone
Above is a near-perfect defensive shift for FLA against the TBL86 line. Kucherov stays on the ice for 1:40 without creating much of anything. Fatigue and frustration will soon set in, and it’ll be advantage, Panthers.