CBS4's Steve Goldstein on the Panthers' resiliency and emerging star
SUNRISE – As the Panthers finally wrap up their long western road trip this week, the team has turned adversity into opportunity.
Playing shorthanded, and without their best player, they have dug deep and produced points with a hot offense and stellar goaltending.
They are now 2-2-2 without Aleksander Barkov, and numerous players have taken their game up a notch. No one more than the young star in goal.
It's Knight Time
Twenty-one-year-old Spencer Knight continues his rise to upper echelon of goalies. Sure, there are and will be setbacks like every young player and like every NHL goaltender. But Knight is showing off his talent, smarts and calmness. He has started three of the four games on the trip and has gone 2-0-1. The last two games he has given the team just what it needs. Big saves early in games to infuse a cool confidence and more stops later in games to not allow the opponents a chance to come back. His quickness in close, positioning and exuding confidence is like watching a top racehorse take over at the Top Of The Stretch... Smooth, Overwhelming And Everyone Knows He Is Unbeatable.
Even Better Than Advertised?
It's tough to say Matthew Tkachuk is exceeding expectations after scoring 42 goals and more than 100 points last season with Calgary. But he is going above and beyond this season as a Panther. Tkachuk is a top five scorer in the league. And when the team needed it most this past week, he played like a superstar. Without the sick Aleksander Barkov and shorthanded due to other injuries, Tkachuk produced back-to-back multipoint games, scoring big goals and gelling with linemates Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. While it is well documented what they gave up to get him, General Manager Bill Zito hit the jackpot trading for the 24 year old and then signing him to an eight-year contract.
Staals Surge
The Staal brothers have played key roles in the Panthers' recent wins. The team played three players short for most of the last game in Seattle. The Kraken had won seven in a row. The brothers stepped up, playing big minutes, providing leadership through smart play, and both had an assist.
Banged Up
While Barkov remains out with illness, another center, Anton Lundell, left two games ago with an injury and missed the last game. Patrick Hornqvist and Radko Gudas left the Seattle game as well, so the Panthers basically played three men short. Once again, adversity creates opportunity, and many players used the extra ice time well, led by Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Bennett at center.
Let's Go Home Baby
With a potential win in Winnipeg, the Panthers would have a very solid 3-1-1 road trip and get back to .500 on the road for the season. They finally return home Thursday against Detroit, beginning a stretch of four of five home games, with the only road game in Tampa. While they have uncharacteristically let some points slip away at home, the Panthers have a big opportunity on the table for some home dominance and banking valuable points.
