Tippett stays in lineup at RW
CORAL SPRINGS — The Florida Panthers’ stuttering start has revealed some areas of concern.
They include the inability to score the first goal in any of their five games so far.
Carelessness with the puck and missed assignments have contributed to opposing goals. That was a factor in Roberto Luongo allowing four secondperiod goals in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss at Philadelphia.
Another factor in the 2-3 record is the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau still is adjusting to Evgenii Dadonov replacing Jaromir Jagr.
Coach Bob Boughner addressed some of the shortcomings with the team before the Panthers practiced Thursday for the first time since losing twice on the road, but he sees more positives to build around.
“It wasn’t a screaming-and-yelling meeting,” he said. “It was more matter-of-fact and let’s analyze our first five games, what we’ve done good and what we have to improve.”
Among the positives was the debut of Owen Tippett, the team’s 2017 top draft pick, with a game-high seven shots against the Flyers. That earned Tippett a spot at wing on the third line for tonight’s rematch with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the BB&T Center.
Boughner said Nick Bjugstad would flip to the left of center Jared McCann, with Tippett on the right. The move supplanted Connor Brickley (one goal, four points in five games), who appeared a likely scratch with Colton Sceviour back on the fourth line.
“I liked the third line before even when [Tippett] wasn’t playing,” Boughner said. “But Tip deserves to play. He played great the other night. … I think they can be a great line for us.
“This is not a team that can win with one or two lines a night. We have to have some balance.”
The Panthers also need more consistent production out of the top line. Huberdeau has a team-high three goals and two points, but Barkov is still seeking his first goal (three assists), while Dadonov has one goal and five points.
Notably, Dadonov has a minus-6 rating, while Barkov is minus-4 and Huberdeau minus-3.
The sample size is small, and there are encouraging signs they will produce. In 5-on-5 situations, the Panthers have outshot opponents 36-18 with Barkov on the ice – the shot advantage with Dadonov is 35-22; with Huberdeau, 33-18.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, opponents are converting shots into goals at a higher percentage.
“They had a great preseason,” Boughner said of the trio. “I liked their first couple games of the [regular] season. I think the last couple games they’ve gotten away from it a little bit. And I’ve separated it at times as well.
“But those three guys play well together, and it’s just about limiting the turnovers and playing a little more north-south with that line. They know that. I think they put pressure on themselves to be better, and I know they can be.”
Boughner shuffled the lines at Philadelphia, with Radim Vrbata taking Dadonov’s place, and he split up the first line for most of one period in an earlier game. The original top two lines were back practicing together Thursday.
Huberdeau said one way to eliminate some of the goals they have given up is to keep the pressure on in the offensive zone.
“I think we’re defending too much, and that’s not what we want to do,” he said. “We want to be on the offensive side. We’ve just got to be a little smarter and play more simple.”
And while Dadonov is in the unenviable position of replacing a legendary player — albeit an aging one — he can offer speed that better fits the type of game Boughner wants to play.
“We’ve got to use his speed and his skill. He has a really good shot and can score a lot of goals,” Huberdeau said of his new linemate. “It’s pretty close to clicking. It’s just a little left, a little right sometimes and it just doesn’t happen.”
Boughner said the onesided loss at Philadelphia left a sour taste, but pointed out it was the only game the Panthers haven’t given themselves a chance to win.
Luongo, off to a 1-2 start with a 3.41 goals-against average and .901 save percentage, both well off his career norms, will start back-toback games for the first time this season.
“I think it’s important to see what kind of response we have,” Boughner said.
Generation next
The Panthers’ Alumni Association has awarded more than $16,000 to 18 youth hockey players from seven associations for the fall youth hockey travel season. The awards were based on academic achievement, financial need and merit and community involvement, rather than their skills on the ice. All six rinks in South Florida and one in Tampa were represented in the scholarships awarded.