Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Defense falters
Poor Panther defense leads to loss
Visiting Rangers outshoot Panthers, 5-2.
SUNRISE — During practice on Monday Panthers coach Tom Rowe told his players that the only way to reach the playoffs was to start scoring even Lunqvist, strength goals and be more responsible on defense.
He also called out his top line, especially 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr, to be the team’s “best players.’’
Well, at least the Panthers did score an even-strength goal, but their defensive indif- ference allowed the speedy Rangers to spend more time alone with goalie James Reimer than his wife April.
Sprinkle in the continued dominance of goalie Henrik Lundqvist and it added up to another deflating 5-2 home loss Tuesday evening at a BB&T Center packed with raucous blue-shirted New Yorkers. who got Monday off in New York’s 1-0 victory over the Lightning, finished with 42 saves to improve to 16-5-1 against the Panthers
since November 2009.
The Panthers began the day two points out of the last wild-card berth and an insurmountable 17 points behind the Rangers, who have a stranglehold on the first wild card.
The Panthers have lost six of seven at home and overall. It won’t get any easier when the Central Division-leading Minnesota Wild pay a visit on Friday.
Trailing 4-1 after two, the Panthers made it respectable with Aaron Ekblad’s power-play goal with 3:26 remaining. With the Panthers’ net empty for an extra skater, Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich applied the icing with 1:45 left.
Rowe also expressed confidence in his goaltending tandem of James Reimer and recent AHL call-up Reto Berra, now that Roberto Luongo is on the injury shelf for another week. That didn’t work out too well either as Reimer, making his third consecutive start for the first time this season, lasted 33:14 and was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots.
While Florida’s home woes continue, three Rangers with ties to the Panthers enjoyed a homecoming of sorts.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead at 9:25 when defenseman Steve Kampfer’s shot from the point was redirected by Chris Kreider in for his 25th goal. Kampfer, perhaps motivated against his former team who traded him to New York on Nov. 8 for defenseman Dylan McIlrath, notched his first point of the season in his fourth game.
McIlrath was a piece of Florida’s recent trade with Detroit that landed forward Thomas Vanek at last week’s deadline.
The Rangers made it 2-zip when Oscar Lindberg’s soft backhander was juggled by Reimer long enough for Tanner Glass to tuck in through his pads.
Glass, 33, a ninth-round pick by the Panthers in 2003 who played 44 games here for parts of two seasons (2007-09), scored his first goal in his second game of the season, and first since March 21, 2016, also against Florida.
The second period began the way the first ended with Rangers invading Reimer’s air space. This time, it was Kevin Hayes, the brother of former Panthers forward Jimmy, as he deked Reimer before depositing a backhand for a 3-0 lead.
After Reimer stifled a Kreider breakaway, Vincent Trocheck’s forecheck set up Vanek in the slot for his first goal as a Panther at 11:20. That snapped Florida’s 5-on-5 drought at 9-plus periods.
The momentum lasted less than two minutes as Holden waltzed in for an unscreened slapper that ended Reimer’s night at 13:14 of the second period while giving New York a secure 4-1 lead after two.
O. Jokinen honored
Former Panthers captain Ollie Jokinen officially retired as a Panther after signing an honorary contract. He was feted during a video-highlight reel during the second period.
Jokinen, 38, the all-time franchise leader in goals (188) and points (419), played seven seasons for Florida from 2000-08. He scored 750 career points in 1,231 games.
“It’s been a great day,’’ Jokinen said between periods. “When I got traded away in 2008 I had it in my head to come back to Florida to play my last year in Florida . ... It’ didn’t happen, but it ended up happening this way. I’m honored and humbled that the Panthers ownership and hockey operations were willing to do this.’’