Luongo hopes focus on health brings benefits Katinka edges Surprise Wedding to win Miss Gracie
CORAL SPRINGS — For Roberto Luongo, a few more minutes may make the difference of a few more weeks this year.
Luongo, the Panthers’ 38-year-old goaltender, returned to the ice when Florida’s training camp opened on Friday morning after he was limited to 40 games last year due to recurring hip issues. He did not play again after an injury in Philadelphia on March 2.
“I got to be honest, last year, I didn’t know what was going to happen towards the end of the year,” Luongo said. “It was just something that was there and wasn’t quite sure if I was going to be able to come back from it.”
Luongo said he didn’t start skating on a daily basis until August after a summer packed with off-ice rehabilitation work. Even when he did return to the ice, though, some hesitation remained in his mind. Could he really trust himself once practices and games began?
“To be honest with you, until I get into a game and go through a full 60 minutes, probably, I won’t have that mental ease that I’m like ‘OK, I’m good to go,’ ” Luongo said. “I feel great, but there’s always the back of your mind that you want to play a game to make sure that everything feels like the same.”
In limited time in 2016-17, Luongo had a 2.68 goals against average and .915 save percentage.
Luongo blames some of the injury on neglect. Everything felt fine, so he felt no need to focus on the previous injury. But he said he’s more familiar with the area now, and can now help prevent future complications by giving it more attention.
One of those ways involved a more intricate warm-up routine that he said lasts 45-60 minutes. Previously, he took 20-30 minutes to get ready for practice. Luongo said most of the work would happen in the morning, then he would fall into his typical pre-game routine.
“It’s not something that’s enjoyable to do every single day,” Luongo said. “Sometimes, you just want to come to the rink and put your gear on and get dressed. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is. I still have a strong passion for the game and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be in this league.
“I feel like the older I get, the longer it gets. If I play up to 45 like [Jaromir Jagr], I’ll have to come in the night before to get ready for practice the next day. It just gradually feels like every year that you add a little something.”
Panthers goaltending coach Robb Tallas said he hasn’t had to tailor drills to Luongo because of his injury. Instead, they roll past the hip surgery from 2016, forgetting it even happened.
“I think the biggest part was putting that surgery, putting that hip behind him and moving past it,” Tallas said. “That was the hardest thing. Last summer, we couldn’t do that. It was a whole progression and part of the summer training. This year, it’s been no talk about, putting it behind us and saying ‘OK, how are we going to perform our best this year? And this is how we’re going to do it.’ ”
Luongo should be the Panthers’ top goalie again this season, but Florida also boasts a capable backup in James Reimer. Reimer, 29, played 43 games last season, posting a 2.53 GAA and .920 save percentage.
Reimer is entering the second season of a five-year contract that he signed with the Panthers in 2016.
“Personally, there’s things I have been working on all summer, tracking pucks, skating, just making sure I’m doing the right things and making the right reads,” Reimer said. “There’s a few things that I worked on in the summer, and I don’t want to give away any of my secrets.”
Even if Reimer is Florida’s No. 2 goalie, the Panthers will lean on him heavily to take some wear and tear off Luongo and help shoulder some of the load. Last year, Reimer set careerhighs for games played, games started and shots faced.
“We have two really good goalies, there’s no question about it,” Tallas said. “The hardest part is managing their time and making sure that they’re both playing on top of their game without letting one sit too long.”
HALLANDALE BEACH — Fans at Gulfstream Park were treated to an exciting finish in the feature race on “reopening” day Saturday as Katinka edged Surprise Wedding by a head bob to take the $100,000 Miss Gracie Stakes.
The 7 turf race for 3-year-old Florida bred fillies was the capstone of the track’s first day of live racing since Labor Day as Gulfstream, like most of South Florida, shuttered for Hurricane Irma. Thirteen races were on Saturday’s card, but none produced as an exciting of a finish as the Miss Gracie.
Katinka, who broke from the far outside post, and Surprise Wedding sat off early leader Princess Victoria, who set a very slow pace leading the eight-horse field through the opening half mile in 50.40 seconds.
In the far turn, Princess Victoria backed out and Katinka and Surprise Wedding dueled to the wire as favorite Gran Cherry made a furious late run. The charge came too late and the race was left to be decided between the leaders with Katinka getting her head down first as the duo went under the wire. The time of the race was 1:31.23.
Trainer Michael Yates said he initially did not think his filly got the win but was pleased with what he saw in the photo. Yates was also pleased with how Katinka won the race. Normally a lead seeking filly, the instructions given to jockey Leonel Reyes was to rate if she could not make the lead.
“We didn’t want to use her up early because we were outside,” Yates said. “If she was able to make the lead on her own, fine. We took the blinkers off of her today hoping she would settle and she did.”
There was one other stakes race on Saturday’s card. Favorite Mama Joyce drew clear of the field in the final furlong to win the $50,000 Sea of Grass Stakes, giving jockey Edgard Zayas his third win on the day. Mama Joyce covered the mile race in 1:38.89. Lirica and She Takes Heart finished in order behind.