George Richards, FHN Publisher
NThe Panthers have a pretty good chance of opening the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes.
They probably would rather play someone else.
Could you imagine Vincent Trocheck against the Panthers in a best-of-7 series?
Yes, Carolina did it to the Panthers again Thursday night, winning for the fifth time in six meetings this season with a 3-0 victory at PNC Arena.
”Very ordinary (game) for us,” Joel Quenneville said. “One of those when you get behind, you’re going to be in trouble. They were happy to check and frustrate you. They didn’t give much, we didn’t generate much and it was that type of game.”
Florida won the first game between the two when Jonathan Huberdeau scored in overtime back on Feb. 17.
Carolina has since won the past five — with the last three coming in regulation.
Those six points Carolina gained with Florida not getting any of them is a big reason why it is now the Hurricanes sitting atop the NHL’s Central Division standings this morning and not the Panthers.
Of the 12 points available in the six games played between the two teams this season, Carolina has secured 11; Florida has four.
Florida dropped from first to third with the loss as Tampa Bay stayed in second. Both the Lightning and Panthers have 56 points but Florida has played one more game than Tampa Bay.
Both teams changed up goalies from Tuesday night with Chris Driedger (19 saves) going for the Panthers and Alex Nedeljkovic for Carolina.
Nedeljkovic got the shutout with 24 saves as the Panthers certainly did not generate a whole lot.
One of those nights, Quenneville surmised.
”I look over the course of the season, Game 41,” Quenneville said. “You could argue we have have one game in this category … we tried, we just weren’t very good.”
The two teams had a few scoring opportunities but, at least early on, it was the Hurricanes who cashed in on them.
In the first, Carolina’s top-ranked power play got two cracks at it in the first period. The Hurricanes cashed in on the second try when Sebastian Aho one-timed a pass from Trocheck past Driedger.
The Hurricanes made it a 2-0 game 6:35 into the second when Trocheck kept his Florida scoring streak alive.
Trocheck, who as everyone knows was traded to Carolina by the Panthers last February, threw up a shot at the net. The puck hit Driedger in the shoulder, bounced high into the air and hit Dreidger’s back before landing behind him in the net.
Although originally credited with two goals in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Panthers, one was taken away from him.
So, he only has six goals in six games against his former teammates instead of seven.
Trocheck does have a goal in each game he has played against the Panthers and now has 16 this season — most since his career-high of 31 which came during the 2017-18 season.
Martin Necas got the final goal, scoring into an empty net with 51.9 seconds remaining.
Florida now moves on to Dallas for a pair with the Stars.
”Next game,” Frank Vatrano said. “That has (led to) our success all year is looking forward to that next game if we weren’t happy about our performance. It’s another divisional game as it has been all year and it’s important.”
POWERED UP, POWERED DOWN
Carolina’s power play ended up going 1-for-4 on Thursday and has eight goals in 22 chances against the Panthers this season.
Florida’s power play has been struggling lately as it has just one goal in the past 17 tries.
The Panthers were 0-for-4 with the advantage Thursday and just 2-for-22 in six games against Carolina.
”They are very aggressive, they’re fast and are disruptive on entries,’’ Quenneville said.
“You have to take your quick strikes when you have them and off of that you can get something going. The set looks, the prepared looks … it’s all instincts. Quick little plays, 2-on-1s, take it to the net. It’s not easy to get through it.”
Said Patric Hornqvist: “Carolina does a great job with their PK, they have pressure all over the ice. When they have that hard pressure, we need to find a way to get open for each other and have a 5-on-5 mentality out there.”
LINEUP SHUFFLE
After the trade with Chicago on Thursday morning, the Panthers had a couple of roster holes and they filled them with a couple of taxi squad promotions.
Defenseman Brady Keeper came up and played in his first game since he made his debut with the Panthers in Ottawa at the end of the 2018-19 season.
Keeper did not play in the third period.
Keith Yandle, who did not play in the third period Tuesday night, found extensive time Thursday. Yandle was in the starting lineup and played deep into the game.
Florida also moved goalie Spencer Knight up from the taxi squad only Sergei Bobrovsky dressed as Driedger’s backup.
Knight was scratched, but it is possible he gets a game in the next trip against Dallas.
Florida also sat Owen Tippett and replaced him in the lineup with Ryan Lomberg. Markus Nutivaara played, Anton Stralman did not.
TRADE DEADLINE MAILBAG
A special NHL Trade Deadline edition of the monthly Mailbag will come on Friday afternoon.
If you want to get your question in for Friday’s Mailbag, leave your question in the comment section of this story, the main story HERE or on Twitter with the #AskGR hashtag.
GEORGE’S THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Vincent Trocheck, Carolina
2. Sebastian Aho, Carolina
3. Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina
ON DECK: PANTHERS AT STARS
When: Saturday, 2
Where: AmericanAirlines Center, Dallas
Season series: Florida leads 4-1
TV/Radio: BSFLA/560-AM