The Florida Panthers are ready to go ‘full throttle’ as they start a six-game homestand
Hopefully the Florida Panthers enjoyed these past three days. Barring an alteration to their schedule, it’s the last time they’ll go this long between games for the rest of the regular season.
“We’re going to be full throttle,” Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said.
It starts with a six-game homestand, during which the Panthers (5-0-1) have no more than one day off between games.
The full slate at the BB&T Center over the next two weeks: Thursday and Friday against the Nashville Predators (both 7 p.m. starts), Sunday and Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings (3 p.m. on Sunday, 7 p.m. on Tuesday) and Feb. 11 and 13 against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning (both 7 p.m. starts).
After playing just six games in the first 19 days of the regular season, the Panthers’ final 50 games will be played over the course of 94 days. This includes a jam-packed February slate with 14 games over the next 24 days.
But after a couple lulls to start the season — the Panthers’ schedule was altered twice because of COVID-19 issues inside the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes organizations — and the team off to the best start in franchise history, the Panthers’ message is simply bring on the extended game action.
“We’ve just got to keep going, got to keep working hard,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “When we get back home, we have tough games coming up. We’ve just got to come to the rink and keep working hard, keep trying to win games and playing the right way.”
And while the wins haven’t been easy — four of six games have been decided either in overtime or in a shootout — the Panthers are cementing themselves as one of the more well-balanced teams in the league.
In addition to being the only team without a loss in regulation this season, the Panthers rank seventh in the NHL in goals scored per game (3.50), seventh in goals allowed per game (2.50), fourth in power-play efficiency (36.8 percent) and 11th in penalty kill efficiency (81 percent).
The Panthers’ top line of Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair has combined for seven goals this year, six of which have been in five-on-five situations. Patric Hornqvist is tied for seventh in the league with three power play goals and is tied with Verhaeghe for the team lead with five goals overall.
“It feels like a new team,” Barkov said. “It’s the same organization, but a new team with new systems and there is a fresh air in the room. We’re enjoying the process. Everyone is working hard. We’re on the same page and we’re only going to get better.”
Scouting the Nashville Predators
▪ Record: 4-5-0 (including 0-4-0 on the road).
▪ Top point producers: Filip Forsberg (four goals, two assists), Viktor Arvidsson (two goals, four assists), Mikael Granlund (three goals, two assists).
▪ Goaltender breakdown: Juuse Saros (3-3, .908 save percentage, 2.82 goals against average) and Pekka Rinne (1-2, .869 save percentage, 3.31 goals against average).
▪ NHL rankings: 28th in scoring offense (2.33 goals/game), 24th in scoring defense (3.22 goals allowed/game), 28th in power play efficiency (11.1 percent), 31th in penalty kill efficiency (64.9 percent).
Scouting the Detroit Red Wings
▪ Record: 2-7-2 (including 0-1-1 against the Panthers).
▪ Top point producers: Dylan Larkin (four goals, five assists), Tyler Bertuzzi (five goals, two assists), Anthony Mantha (four goals, three assists), Bobby Ryan (four goals, two assists).
▪ Goaltender breakdown: Thomas Griess (0-6-2, .884 save percentage, 3.46 goals against average) and Jonathan Bernier (2-1-0, .881 save percentage, 3.54 goals against average).
▪ NHL rankings: 31th in scoring offense (1.91 goals/game), 27th in scoring defense (3.64 goals allowed/game), 29th in power play efficiency (10.5 percent), 29th in penalty kill efficiency (68.6 percent).
Scouting the Tampa Bay Lightning
▪ Record: 6-1-1 (including 1-1-1 on the road).
▪ Top point producers: Steven Stamkos (four goals, six assists), Brayden Point (four goals, five assists), Victor Hedman (three goals, seven assists).
▪ Goaltender breakdown: Andrei Vasilevskiy (6-1-1, .927 save percentage, 2.00 goals against average).
▪ NHL rankings: fourth in scoring offense (3.63 goals/game), second in scoring defense (2.13 goals allowed/game), 16th in power play efficiency (20.7 percent), ninth in penalty kill efficiency (82.8 percent).
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 9:43 AM.
.JPG)