Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Trocheck’s ice time has come
Versatility, grit lead to career high
CORAL SPRINGS — Bob Boughner referred to it as warrior mentality.
To Vincent Trocheck, logging a career high in ice time while performing a variety roles in the Florida Panthers’ home-opener win Saturday was simply responding to the mindset the new coach has instilled in the team.
“We’ve been talking about it all preseason, that [everybody will] do whatever it takes to win. So whenever you’re called on to do something you go out and do it to the best of your ability,” Trocheck said.
While logging 26:02 on 32 shifts, Trocheck spent 5:30 on the power play and 5:23 killing penalties. He scored what proved to be the decisive goal in the 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Then, with the Panthers clinging to that one-goal lead in the final minutes, the second-line center blocked a shot, and helped withstand a 6-on-4 disadvantage by winning a key faceoff with 21 seconds remaining.
“He’s a warrior,” Boughner said. “He’s a physical player. He plays in all situations. Real important in the faceoff circle. He does a little of everything. I don’t like playing him that many minutes, by any means.”
Usually players logging minutes in the high 20s are defensemen. Trocheck led both teams in ice time, and was on for 2 minutes longer than any of the Panthers defensemen.
“If nobody would have told me I played that many minutes I wouldn’t have known,” he said. “In the middle of the game the adrenaline is pumping, whenever you’re called to go out, you go out. Everybody wants to be on the ice as much as they possibly can.”
Due to his versatility, the Pittsburgh native is accustomed to being thrust into multiple duties. Last season his average ice time of 20:49 was sixth in the NHL among forwards (Buffalo’s Ryan O’Reilly led with 21:27).
“It was one of those games, our back was against the wall after being down 2-0. We had to shorten the bench a little bit,” Boughner said. “I don’t expect him to play those kinds of minutes on a nightly basis. But he stepped up to the plate when we needed him.”
Trocheck’s goal in the third period was workmanlike and fit the profile Bourghner has been preaching. He dropped the puck off to Radim Vrbata entering the offensive zone and dashed to the net, where he slipped behind a defenseman and arrived in time to score on the rebound of his linemate’s shot.
He then punctuated it by giving defenseman Jake Dotchin a parting shove.
“Before the shot was taken, as I was going around he gave me a little, quick cross-check, so I felt like I needed to give him one back,” Trocheck said.
It’s only two games into a long season, but the Panthers are showing that quality which general manager Dale Tallon likes to refer to as sandpaper.
The best indication to Boughner that his players are buying into the gritty type of team he wants was in the willingness to sell out as human shields to preserve the lead.
The Lightning’s last two shots were both blocked, first by Connor Brickley and finally by Aaron Ekblad throwing his body in front of a full slap-shot by Nikita Kucherov.
“We talked about that, about having a little bit of sacrifice and finding ways to win,” Boughner said. “Guys were desperate to get the first win, and anything it took.”
Aleksander