Benching puzzles Petrovic
D-man out to regain coaches’ confidence
CORAL SPRINGS — Across the last two weeks, Florida Panthers defenseman Alex Petrovic hasn’t acted like a typical healthy scratch. Instead of toiling away in the press box during games, Petrovic has preferred to be on the ground, watching the game, then working out during intermissions.
He’s watched video of his shifts to pick apart his game. He’s worked alongside Mike Matheson after practice on his skating. But the 25-year-old is still having trouble figuring out why he’s been benched in each of the past six games.
“I think they just don’t have the confidence in me when I’m out there to keep doing that for some reason,” Petrovic said. “I couldn’t tell you why. It is what it is. I just got to keep proving myself every day.”
Petrovic has been scratched in nine of Florida’s 20 games this season. When he has played, his minutes have diminished, dropping to 14:31 per game from 18:09 last year. His penalty kill usage has been minimal (0:30 per game). Against Detroit last month, Petrovic didn’t play at all in the third period.
After that game, Panthers coach Bob Boughner said Petrovic had “some points he needs to clean up” before returning to the lineup. He said he met with Petrovic to discuss the slow start.
Petrovic last played on Nov. 7 in Carolina, but has been benched in favor of rookies Ian McCoshen and MacKenzie Weegar. Since that game — in which the Panthers allowed 48 shots on goal in a 3-1 loss — Petrovic said lines of communication between him and the coaching staff have evaporated.
“Ever since I scratched
after Carolina, they didn’t really say anything to me after that game,” Petrovic said. “Just scratched me. I know I could have been better, but I think a lot of guys didn’t have their best games in that game either. I guess I was just singled out after that game.
“Since then, they’ve been talking to me on and off, but not very direct. At the start, they said I had to be hard to play against and everything. The Carolina game I had seven hits and a couple blocked shots. I don’t know how much harder you can play against someone.”
Boughner said Petrovic will help the Panthers this season and that “he’s a big part of it.” But a return in the coming days seems unlikely, barring a performance dip from the six defensemen in the lineup.
“I just think that the team’s playing pretty well right now defensively and the guys that are playing are playing well,” Boughner said. “No one really deserves to come out. Petro knows that. I’ve been very upfront with him about that.”
The Panthers enter tonight’s game against Toronto as the second-worst defense in the NHL, allowing 3.55 goals per game. Across the past six games — with Petrovic scratched — Florida has allowed 2.17 goals per game.
“They’re playing really good hockey,” Petrovic said. “If the coaching staff thinks they’re supposed to be in, or anyone else is supposed to be playing, that’s fine. That’s their decision.”
At 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, Petrovic brings a physical presence to the defensive corps. Despite missing about half of the Panthers’ games, he’s third on the team with 33 hits.
When asked if he felt any difference in his game this season, Petrovic said he hasn’t “really had a chance to get going.
“It’s not going to end me or stop me or anything. It’s going to make me stronger. Just take a step back from it and learn different things about yourself and how you react in different situations.”