Sun Sentinel Broward Edition

Yandle inherits streak after Cogliano’s 2-game penalty

- By Matthew DeFranks Staff writer mdefranks@sun-sentinel.com, Twitter @MDeFranks

CORAL SPRINGS — Keith Yandle didn’t see the play that elevated him up a hallowed NHL leaderboar­d. He was on vacation in the Bahamas so he missed the moment that gave him the league’s longest active games played streak.

When Anaheim forward Andrew Cogliano was served with a two-game suspension this week for a hit on Los Angeles forward Adrian Kempe, his 830-game streak of consecutiv­e games played ended. It ushered Yandle’s current streak of 676 games to the top of the active leaderboar­d.

“I don’t know exactly what happened,” Yandle said Thursday after the Panthers returned to practice. “You feel bad for him. I know what type of guy he is. Obviously, he brings it every single night and you hate to see anybody lose a streak like that, especially for such a long one that he’s had. Definitely feel bad for him.”

Cogliano’s streak was impressive not only for its length but also for its beginning. The streak started at the beginning of his career, meaning he’d never missed an NHL game in his 11 seasons prior to Monday’s absence.

Yandle, meanwhile, has not missed a game since the 2008-09 season, when he was a member of the Phoenix Coyotes. Since then, the Coyotes changed their name to the Arizona Coyotes and Yandle’s been traded twice (to the Rangers and then to the Panthers).

The last game he missed was on March 22, 2009, between the Coyotes and Ducks. To peruse that box score is to walk through history. Former Panther Ed Jovanovski played for the Coyotes that game. Both Niedermaye­r brothers were in Anaheim, as were Chris Progner, George Parros and Teemu Selanne.

Pronger now works in the Panthers front office. Parros works in the league office responsibl­e for handing down punishment­s. Selanne was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in November.

“To play any game in the league is special,” Yandle said. “For me, I never take it for granted. You come to the rink and enjoy every moment of it, try to get better every day. To play any games in this league is a true honor for me.”

He’s played in 125 consective games for the Panthers since joining the team during the summer of 2016. Yandle has eight goals and 56 assists for Florida entering Friday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Yandle’s streak is the eighth-longest in the history of the league, and he could catch Henrik Sedin (679) within the next week.

“I think it’s good for the young guys to actually see, too,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “As long as he’s played and how he prepares and what he does, and he’s had a great year for us. He’s been a steady, steady guy back there. It’s good to have guys like [Ian McCoshen] and [MacKenzie Weegar] and everybody to see that consistenc­y in his game. I think that it’s infectious.”

Luongo turns corner

Boughner said that injured goaltender Roberto Luongo (lower-body) has “turned a corner a little bit” in his rehabilita­tion process, before adding that the beginning of February was still the target for his return.

“He’s shown some good improvemen­t here in the last few days,” Boughner said. “We’re excited to hopefully get him back on the ice during a practice.”

Luongo has been out since Dec. 4, when he injured himself making a

right pad save on a slap shot from Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock. Friday will mark the 17th consecutiv­e game he’s missed.

Luongo first skated on Dec. 21, but has not participat­ed in a Panthers practice. Boughner did not say when he would practice with the team, and did not say how many practices Luongo would need to feel comfortabl­e playing.

“I think we got to judge that after the first few practices and see how he feels,” Boughner said.

During the bye week, Boughner said Luongo continued his rehab and workout regimen.

“He’s still on the same timetable, but we were sort of waiting,” Boughner said. “Sometimes on those long rehabs, you got good days and bad days. He’s had some good ones back-toback now. Hopefully, he’s out of those tougher days.”

 ?? PAUL SANCYA/AP ?? Keith Yandle now has the longest consecutiv­e-game streak among active players, with 676.
PAUL SANCYA/AP Keith Yandle now has the longest consecutiv­e-game streak among active players, with 676.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States