[jg2977]

Mark Messier:
You know, when the stakes are high and the season's on the line, you find out what kind of character your team’s got. And tonight, the Florida Panthers showed a ton of it. This was a hard-fought, playoff-style baseball game—gritty, disciplined, and physical—and they earned that 4–1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Let’s talk about Roger McCutcheon. The guy was nails. Seven innings, six strikeouts, and only one run given up? That’s how you lead from the mound. That’s how you inspire your teammates. That’s the kind of performance you expect from a guy who wants the ball when it matters most. And he got it done. That’s a playoff warrior right there.

Offensively, Florida didn’t need a dozen runs—they were opportunistic, they capitalized when it counted. J. Baca and E. van de Griendt stepped up in the big moments. Both of them launched homers, and Van de Griendt had a huge triple as well. You talk about guys who don’t shy away from the spotlight—those are them. Big-time hits in a pressure-packed environment.

On the other side, Tampa Bay had some traffic on the bases, but they couldn’t cash in. And credit the Florida bullpen, especially A. Mata—he came in and shut the door. Two clean innings, didn’t give Tampa a sniff. That’s how you close out a playoff game.

So now Florida’s moving on to face the New York Rangers in the Conference Semifinals. That’s going to be a battle. But if McCutcheon and this crew bring that same effort, that same intensity, they’re going to be tough to beat.

This is what playoff baseball’s all about—heart, leadership, execution. The Panthers showed all three tonight.