Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Slow start sinks Panthers
Senators score twice in first period during 19-second span
KANATA, Ontario — Florida Panthers newly annointed coach Tom Rowe said earlier Saturday that one reason for the coaching change was that he didn’t feel some players “were bringing it every night.’’
Rowe might’ve felt the same way for the first seven minutes of the opening period as the Ottawa Senators scored two unobstructed, doorstop goals in a 19-second span to hand the Panthers a 2-0 loss in a chippy affair in the Canadian Tire Center.
The Panthers fell to 1-1-1 since Gerard Gallant was fired last Sunday, and 1-2-1 on this season-long, six-game road trip that concludes with a back-to-back set against the Bruins and Flyers, two more conference opponents. Florida fell six points behind the second-place injury-wracked Senators in the tight Atlantic Division.
At 6:46, Sens center Ryan Dzingel centered the puck to two-time Norris Trophywinning defenseman Erik Karlsson, who took two unimpeded swipes at the puck in the crease before his fifth goal got through the pads of Roberto Luongo.
Before the goal-scorer could be announced, Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki delivered a crunching hit on Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie at center ice. Rugged forward Shawn Thornton, making his first start under Rowe, challenged Borowiecki to a fight but while the two danced around, the Senators went tic-
tac-toe before Derick Brassard’s layup from the paint made it 2-0 at 7:05.
Luongo had given up just one goal in four of his previous five starts and was 6-1-1 in last eight appearances with a 1.57 goals-against-average. That included a 4-1 victory over these injurydepleted Senators here two weeks ago when he made a season-high 39 saves.
The Senators, sans starting goalie Craig Anderson, who’s on another personal leave to be with his cancerstricken wife, are also without top-six forwards Bobby Ryan (hand) and Clarke MacArthur, whose been out all season with another concussion but said Saturday he hoped to return in January.
The Panthers couldn’t solve Anderson’s replacement, Mike Condon, who sparkled in net with 24 saves for his first win against Florida in his fourth attempt and third career shutout.
The Panthers had one shot after the first 15 minutes and trailed 2-0 after one. Vincent Trocheck had a clean breakaway attempt smothered by the pads of Condon just 34 seconds into the second period. After four unanswered power plays by the Senators, the Panthers finally got a few favorable whistles and had a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:23.
However, Condon stood tall under a bombardment of shots from Aleksander Barkov, Jaromir Jagr and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who only missed a few shifts after a bouncing puck opened up a gash under his eye. So they still trailed 2-zip after two, despite outshooting Ottawa 13-7 in the middle frame.
Bjugstad moves
In an attempt to get Nick Bjugstad going, Rowe shifted the lifelong center back to his original spot after a five-game experiment on the wing with Denis Malgin at center.
“We felt tonight, let’s get Bjugstad back in the middle of the ice where he’s more comfortable, get him going, get him kicked off into scoring opportunities that we think he could bring,” Rowe said after morning skate.
Bjugstad, who missed the first 19 games with a broken wrist sustained in the preseason, has five shots on net in five games, and had none after two periods.
“It’s a whole different world on the walls and defensive zone,” Bjugstad said. “It was a good learning experience, a good way for me to break in as far as conditioning. But I’m back to the middle where I played center my whole life.”
Rowe’s take
A member of the Canadian media asked Rowe about taking over the coaching reins from Gallant.
“This isn’t a knock on Gerard, because he did a great job,” Rowe said. “I just thought some guys weren’t bringing it the way they’re capable of bringing it every single night. A little too much inconsistency. They’d come out one period and play great. Another period they just sit back a little bit too tentative.’’ ...
Later Saturday, the always bombastic Don
Cherry said on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada that: “[Gallant] is the worst firing in the history of the world.”
No luck for Hawryluk
Panthers prospect Jayce
Hawryluk finally made his pro debut for the Springfield (Mass.) Thunderbirds Friday night after missing the first 18 games with a broken hand sustained in a fight during the Panthers rookie tournament prior to training camp.
After playing one period, Hawryluk was leveled by a blindside hit to the head by Sound Tigers’ Connor Jones and knocked unconscious. Hawryluk, the 32nd pick of the 2014 draft, sustained a concussion and is out indefinitely. The AHL suspended Jones for four games.