Making a point
Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad, right, snaps his 13-game goal drought.
SUNRISE When Nick Bjugstad scored the sixth goal in the Florida Panthers’ 7-0 rout of the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, he raised his hands to the sky and celebrated as if it clinched the Stanley Cup.
The goal snapped Bjugstad’s 13-game goal drought and also came a few days after Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe said that his 5 goals were “not acceptable for whatever amount of games he’s played,” and insisted the oftinjured 24-year-old center raise his level next season.
“I was joking with someone that was probably a bit excessive for the sixth goal,” smiled Bjugstad, who has missed 28 game sthis season with a broken wrist and groin injury. “But at this point of the season and for myself that was instinct. Just thank God, basically. I had a lot of shots and it finally went in.”
Bjugstad, the team’s 19th overall pick in the 2010 draft, led the Panthers with 24 goals in his second season, but has scored just 21 goals and 45 points in his past two injury-plagued seasons.
“I don’t read what goes on. I deleted my Twitter and all that so I don’t have to deal with it,” Bjugstad said after morning skate Saturday. “For myself definitely, I hold myself accountable. … I control my own destiny, obviously. I know what I have in the tank. I know I’m a lot better than what I produced this year.
“I’m getting sick of being injured. I look forward of being healthy and change some stuff up this summer, little tweaks in my game. Youcan always get better, so I’m looking forward to improving my game and coming in with a positive mindset,” added Bjugstad, who the Panthers signed to a sixyear, $24.6 million extension
in December 2014.
“The organization invested a lot in me, they have faith in meso there’s no reason why I shouldn’t have faith in myself when it comes to scoring goals,” Bjugstad said. “That’s kind of how I got here, so it’s unacceptable for myself. I holdmyself accountable. I’ll change it next year.”
Marchessault’s hat trick
Not only was Jonathan Marchessault’s first career hat trick Saturday the Panthers first at home since Tomas Kopecky did it on Feb. 26,2013, but itwas Florida’s first natural hat trick since Steven Reinprecht on Oct. 30, 2009, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It was amazing passes,” said Marchessault, who has 5 goals in the past two games, giving him a teamleading 28. “I think everybody should be feeling good right now. That’s not just any team on the other side that we just beat. It was an amazing game for everyone.”
Rowe all smiles
Rowe, whose coaching status for next season is unknown, was all smiles after the Panthers’ most lopsided victory of the season.
“The team, owners, fans, everybody needed a feelgood day,” Rowe said. “We said let’s take it one at a time and see what happens.”
Jagr injured
Saturday’s feel-good victory contained one downer as Jaromir Jagr sustained what appeared to be a leg injury when hip-checked into the boards by Chicago’s RichrdPanik in the second period.
Rowe said that Jagr would accompany the team on the four-game road trip, but was not sure if he’d be available for Monday’s game in Buffalo.