Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Jagr rolls with line changes
SUNRISE — After Friday’s tragic shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Panthers discussed whether or not to cancel the game with the Nashville Predators.
However, Panthers executive chairman Peter Luukko said that after speaking with the NHL and the Broward Country officials, they all agreed to play.
Security, inside and outside the BB&T Center, was considerably beefed-up, including unmarked police cars and plain-clothes officers stationed throughout the arena.
Panthers defensemen Mike Matheson and Mark Pysyk wrote the initials FLL, the airport code, on their skates in the wake of the tragedy.
“Can’t believe the news of what is going on at FLL. My thoughts and prayers to all those who have been affected. Stay strong South Florida,” Matheson tweeted.
The Boston Bruins, who play the Panthers on Saturday night, reported on their website that their team plane was diverted from Fort Lauderdale to Miami International Airport and landed at 5:05 p.m.
“The thoughts and prayers of the Bruins organization are with the victims of today’s shooting and the entire Fort Lauderdale community,” the Bruins said in a statement.
John Viola, son of Panthers owner Vinnie Viola tweeted: “My prayers are for the victims of this terrible tragedy at @FLLFlyer and for the people of that city I have come to feel so at home in.”
Jaromir Jagr, who recently passed Mark Messier on the all-time scoring list with his 1,888th point, was scheduled to play alongside center Vincent Trocheck and Jon Marchessault. Injured forward Jonathan Huberdeau hasn’t played this season, and more recently, Aleksander Barkov went out with a lower-body injury. So Jagr’s line, arguably the most productive trio in the NHL over the past yearand-a-half, has yet to play one game together.
Barkov, who missed his fourth consecutive game Friday against the Nashville Predators, is expected to be out for at least another two weeks, while Huberdeau (Achilles’ tendon surgery) is due back in midFebruary. “Jags is good about it. We’re switching guys all over the place because we had to, and he just goes about his business,” Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe said. “He works with the guys, is always talking to them on the bench and in the locker room. I’m comfortable putting anyone there as long as they listen to him.”
Despite the lack of line continuity, Jagr, 44, had eight points in his past seven games heading into Friday’s game, and his 24 points was tied for second for the team lead, three points behind Barkov. Earlier this season, Marchessault (24 points) got off to a great start playing with Barkov and Jagr, and he still led the team with 11 goals.
Most recently, unheralded Seth Griffith had been playing on the top line, but he is out indefinitely since sustaining a concussion on a blindside hit from Nik Ehlers in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Jets. Greg McKegg hopped on the line for a few shifts and scored his first goal of the season off an assist from Jagr, his 1,136th helper that moved him past Paul Coffey into fifth place all-time.
The Panthers, in desperate need of an offensive spark, recalled young forward Jared McCann, a central piece in the controversial offseason trade of defenseman Erik Gudbranson to Vancouver. McCann, 20, scored one goal and three points in 17 games before being sent to Springfield, Mass., Florida’s AHL affiliate, on Nov. 20.
McCann was to play with Colton Sceviour and Michael Sgarbossa. Rowe said he will also play on the second power-play unit.
Angry Rowe
Early in the morning skate, Rowe took the team aside, particularly one unidentified player, and unleashed a profanity-laced rant for him not being serious enough at the start of the 45-minute practice.
“I asked one particular player [yesterday] to be more businesslike and he didn’t start the morning skate [that way],” Rowe explained. “To me, practice is sacred. You have to practice really well to play in the game really well. This league is too good to come out here and just be casual. It was really one guy; nobody else.
“We need to be focused and need to be serious every day you walk into the locker room.”