Florida Panthers vs New York Rangers: 5 key matchups to watch out for in 2024 Eastern Conference Finals

The Eastern Conference finals are set to begin Wednesday as the Florida Panthers will take on the New York Rangers.

The Rangers finished with the top record in the NHL, and swept the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. New York then beat the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.

Florida, meanwhile, finished with the top record in the Atlantic and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The Panthers then defeated the Boston Bruins in six games.

Heading into the series, Florida is the betting favorite to win it but here are five key matchups to watch.

5 key matchups to watch out for in 2024 Eastern Conference Finals

#1. Barkov vs Panarin

Aleksander Barkov is one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL and it's likely he will be tasked with shutting down Artemi Panarin in this series.

Panarin is one of the best offensive players in the NHL as he can score plenty of goals and also set up goals. Barkov will have a tough task in trying to shut him down, but if he can, it gives a big boost to the Panthers' chances.

#2. Shesterkin vs Panthers power play

Igor Shesterkin is one of the best goalies in the NHL, but he will have to have his A-game for New York to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Panthers finished the regular season with the eighth-ranked power play at 32.5%. If Shesterkin can make some big stops and limit Florida's power play, it will give the Rangers a massive chance to win the series.

#3. Tkachuk vs Fox

The New York Rangers will likely match Adam Fox with Matthew Tkachuk's line.

Fox is paired with Ryan Lindgren, and in the playoffs, it has been one of the best defensive duos. The two will likely be tasked with shutting down Tkachuk and his line.

#4. Shesterkin vs Bobrovsky

The biggest matchup is between net as Igor Shesterkin and Sergei Bobrovsky are two of the best goalies in the NHL.

Shesterkin is 8-2 with a 2.40 GAA and a .923 SV% in the playoffs, while Bobrovsky is 8-3 with a 2.37 GAA and a .902 SV%.

Both goalies can steal games for their team, and this series could very well come down to which goalie was better.

#5. Ekblad vs Zibanejad-Kreider

The New York Rangers have a potent top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and the Florida Panthers will likely turn to Aaron Ekblad on defense to try and shut them down.

While Ekblad was on the ice, Florida allowed just 1.52 goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five. If he can shut down Zibanejad and Kreider, the Panthers will have a great chance of winning the series.