The quicksand nature of facing a deficit with the clock ticking down presents disparate psychological challenges for different teams.
Facing a nearly insurmountable 3-0 hole in the Stanley Cup Final with 133 seconds remaining in a pivotal Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Matthew Tkachuk burnished his reputation as the NHL’s most clutch player while the Florida Panthers remain undaunted with their season hanging in the balance. You can’t kill the Panthers until the final whistle blows, and though you could argue they were an undeserving winner on Thursday evening, life is sometimes unfair and Tkachuk’s snarling visage emphasizes this truism.