With 6 games left, Panthers’ hopes for playoff spot dim

The Florida Panthers need desperation to transform into production — and quickly.

With a 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa on Thursday night, the Panthers squandered a chance to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race with just six games remaining in the season. Florida enters Saturday three points behind New Jersey for the final wild-card spot with one game in hand on the Devils.

But the Panthers could have closed the gap to two points had they beaten the lowly Senators, after New Jersey’s own overtime loss to Pittsburgh. Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson was called for tripping on a breakaway with 16 seconds left in overtime, giving Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageu a penalty shot. Pageu buried it, and Florida watched an opportunity slip away.

It was the second time this month the Panthers lost to Ottawa, whose 65 points are tied for the second-fewest in the league.

“For me, it’s too many lapses in our game,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said on a teleconference Friday afternoon. “It takes us too long to get it back. Our starts haven’t been good. Obviously, Toronto the other night, I don’t think we started well. For me, the No. 1 thing is we have to commit as a group and show some maturity in our game to manage the game a little better. I still think we’re trying to force the puck through people instead of putting in behind them. Our puck management could be better.”

The Panthers road to the playoffs gets bumpier in the final nine days of the season. They play Eastern Conference-leading Boston three times, beginning with this afternoon’s date at the TD Garden. The Bruins will be trying to lock up a division championship and hold off Tampa Bay.

The Panthers play Western Conference-leading Nashville once. The Predators will likely be aiming for the Presidents’ Trophy, given to the NHL’s best regular-season team.

Meanwhile, New Jersey plays three lottery teams (Islanders, Canadiens, Rangers) and two contenders who will likely have their playoff seeds wrapped up (Maple Leafs and Capitals).

Borgström debuts

Panthers top prospect Henrik Borgström made his NHL debut on Thursday night in Ottawa, skating 12:41 minutes, registering six shot attempts and two shots on goal. He also had one giveaway, one takeaway and went 3-for-6 in the faceoff circle.

“I was pretty nervous before the game and after the first shift, I wasn’t that nervous anymore,” Borgström told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday night. “We didn’t get the win, which is pretty heartbreaking.”

Borgström centered the Panthers’ third line on Thursday, bumping Jared McCann down to the fourth line, and shifting Derek MacKenzie to the wing. Borgström, a natural center, was also named a Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalist, one of three remaining players vying to be named college hockey’s best player.

Borgström finished his college season with Denver on Sunday, signed with the Panthers on Monday and debuted on Thursday.

Barkov slows down

Panthers top-line center Aleksander Barkov has been quiet recently, and has scored in just one of his last 13 games. For the first time since the All-Star break, Barkov was pointless in consecutive games against Toronto and Ottawa.

He was held shotless for just the fourth time this season during Wednesday night’s loss to Toronto.

“There’s never a shift that goes by that he’s not giving you his all,” Boughner said. “I think he’s hit the wall a little bit in the last couple games, but Barky’s been able to find that extra gear all year. Even when his game isn’t at its best, he still can make huge contributions.”

Barkov has been Florida’s best player this season, leading the team in points (75) and assists (49) while also contributing on both the power play and penalty kill, and defending opposing teams’ top lines. Barkov is also the most-used forward in the NHL, averaging 22:14 of ice time, and has only missed one game this season.

Boughner said he would like to limit Barkov’s ice time, but in-game scenarios — like tight games or lots special teams — haven’t allowed him to do so, especially at a critical point in the season.

“If we get into games where it’s overtime and shootout and it’s five or six penalty kills, those are things we can’t afford to do right now,” Boughner said. “He’s done as much as possible.”