Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Panthers expect charged offense
Team finally healthy and ready to light the lamp
CORAL SPRINGS — Now that the Florida Panthers are at full strength for the first time this season, they fully expect to drastically improve on scoring even-strength goals, which has been one of the main reasons for their struggles.
During last year’s franchise-record 103-point season the Panthers were ranked sixth in the NHL at even strength with 159 goals, but this season they have plummeted to 29th with just 74 goals.
The red-light dropoff has to be pinned on the long-term injuries to three of their top-seven forwards, including Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad. Prior to the Panthers’ four-day break, the top-line trio of Huberdeau, Barkov and Jaromir Jagr were together for the first time against Anaheim.
Not only did they combine for 11 shots on net, but Barkov set up Huberdeau — who was making his season debut — for the game-winning goal in Florida’s 2-1 victory over the Ducks.
Panthers assistant coach Dave Barr believes the mere threat of the top line’s scoring prowess will create defensive matchups and thus create a positive domino effect throughout the lineup, particularly to the second line of Jussi Jokinen, Vincent Troceck and Reilly Smith.
“One-hundred percent,” Barr said. “Just look at the fact that Barkov is going to get the other team’s top line, the other team’s top defensive pair, which now means Trocheck will be getting the secondary line and
secondary defensive pair, which is a big difference.
“Barky makes players around him better. Jags looked five years younger, had a good jump to his step. I thought that line for not having played together this year looked very good out there. It’s a trickle-down effect for the third line [of Bjugstad, Michael Sgarbossa and Jonathan Marchessault]. It makes everything a little stronger and 5-on-5 for sure will help.”
Marchessault, who entered the season with four career even-strength goals, already has 11. However, he missed a rigorous practice at the IceDen on Wednesday because of a undisclosed injury.
Last season the secondline trio scored 52 evenstrength goals, compared to just 22 at the 52-game mark. Trocheck has a team-leading 16 of those, with Smith and Jokinen scoring just three apiece, compared to 20 and 12 respectively last season.
“Being 29th isn’t good enough,” Jokinen said. “Now that Barky’s line is back together so that means our line can play similar roles like last year, going against second lines and Nos. 3 and 4 defensemen. It’s a whole different ballgame than playing against the top d-men and best No. 1 line.
“Right now we have a third and fourth line to chip in, too. It’s nice to have our full lineup for first time this season. Now we can see how our team was built and what we can do.”
The top-line trio scored 55 even-strength goals at 5-on-5 last season, compared to just 13 this season. Huberdeau and Barkov have one and eight evenstrength goals, respectively, compared to 15 and 18 last season. Jagr had a teamleading 22 goals at even strength last season but has just four because of the absence of his play-making linemates.
“If there’s a shift and somebody ices it, our second line is coming against tired guys,” Jagr said of his puck-possessing line. “You lose two top players, so how would other teams do if you lose two top guys?
“Those guys coming back affect everybody. They can score [together maybe] a goal per game; over a season that’s 80 goals. Some guys are going to play a lot less and that’s going to help you, too.” … Red-hot goalie James
Reimer, who’s 5-1-2 in his past eight starts, is expected to get the nod over Roberto
Luongo in today’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Luongo will start against Nashville on Saturday afternoon in Bridgestone Arena.
Home whites
The Panthers will wear their road white jerseys today to accommodate the Kings, who began their road trip in Philadelphia where the Flyers were wearing home whites to commemorate their 50th anniversary season.
That meant the Kings wore black and teams never pack both sets of jerseys on road trip. The Panthers are offering fans $25 off their white sweaters at Pantherland during the game.