Lineup changes could be coming
First impressions always matter and, in this case, the Panthers’ first impression was also their only impression — at least in the last four months — before they begin the expanded postseason this weekend. The Panthers’ first impression was ugly enough to wonder: Does Florida already need to make some lineup changes?
The Panthers did virtually nothing well in the 5-0 exhibition loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Given it was the Panthers’ first live action against a different opponent since March, it was fair to wonder how heavily Joel Quenneville would weigh the exhibition game when setting his lineup for the start of the qualifying round Saturday. While he wouldn’t commit one way or another, the coach also didn’t rule anything out.
“We’re extremely disappointed with [Wednesday’s] game. It was one of those games that you’re thinking and looking at all aspects and all areas,” Quenneville said when asked if he planned to shake up his lineup for the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. “We visited with lines and we practiced in our groups today, but certainly it kind of caught us off guard.”
Florida fell behind 2-0 in the first period and the Lightning’s lead quickly ballooned to 4-0 before the midpoint of the second. Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who will start in net Saturday against the New York Islanders, was in goal for all five of Tampa Bay’s goals.
Defenseman Mike Matheson, who played on the third defensive pairing, was also on the ice for all five. The Panthers’ top line of center Aleksander Barkov, and wingers Evgenii Dadonov and Frank Vatrano combined for just five shots, and All-Star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau put just one on net.
Right before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the regular season in March, Quenneville tinkered with Florida’s lines, leading to a twogame winning streak just before the break. He moved Huberdeau to the second line and bumped up Vatrano, hoping to spread out Barkov and Huberdeau to hopefully give the Panthers a slightly deeper lineup. Wednesday, no one benefited.
As Florida kept saying, it was just exhibition, but it was ugly enough to be concerning, especially since a best-of-five series now looms.
Quenneville, the oldest coach in the league, is one of the few people around hockey with firsthand experience of how a best-offive NHL series feels, and how quickly urgency can set in..
“You’re always talking about doing the right thing, shift in, shift out, finding consistency in your game, but you’re only playing to win that shift and win that period, and in the short series anything can happen,” Quenneville said. “Across the board, getting off to a good start is important.”
WEEGAR BACK AT PRACTICE
The one place the lineup definitely will change for Saturday is on defense. After Aaron Ekblad and MacKenzie Weegar both sat out the exhibition game, the Panthers’ top defensive pairing reunited Thursday at practice.
The two defensemen both practiced and are in position to play Saturday.
“I feel great. I feel ready to go,” Ekblad said. “I’m really excited to play here in the playoffs against the
Islanders. It’s really exciting. It’s something we’ve been dreaming about for a long time, and we’re finally here and we want to seize this opportunity.”
Ekblad missed the final three practices of the Panthers’ postseason training camp last week in Coral Springs but did return to the ice Monday for Florida’s first practice inside the NHL’s Ontario “secure zone.” The 24-year-old Canadian did not play in the exhibition game as a precaution.
Weegar’s absence, how- ever, was unexpected.
After practice Monday, Quenneville did not mention any concerns about Weegar’s status, but he scratched him for the scrimmage.
“He was fine today. He practiced, did a good job, looked good,” Quenneville said Thursday.