Colby Guy
SUNRISE — For years, lack of depth at the forward core was a major problem for the Florida Panthers. On Tuesday, as has been the case all season, that wasn’t the case in a memorable comeback against the Washington Capitals.
Florida’s fourth line of Ryan Lomberg, Eetu Luostarinen and Patric Hornqvist combined for two of Florida’s four goals in a third period that saw them come back from a 4-1 deficit to somehow beat the Capitals 5-4.
“It’s huge for our team — for a coach — if you have a fourth line you can trust against anybody at any different time,” interim coach Andrew Brunette said.
“They bring different pieces, all three of them. I rely on them a lot in big moments and big times.”
Brunette leaned on their line a lot throughout the season, with it being a combo he hasn’t touched when shuffling the lineup at times.
It is for good reason.
“I think we’re playing great hockey,” Lomberg said. “I sound like a bit of a broken record when I say it, but we work hard and we’re predictable for one another.
“We don’t try to make crazy plays when it’s not there, we just play in straight lines and we’re able to read off of each other and we’re doing well there.”
The Panthers lean on each of the three players on special teams, with Lomberg and Luostarinen being reliable penalty killers and Hornqvist being a fixture in front of the net on power plays.
Luostarinen’s two-way prowess on the penalty kill paid off for Florida when he brought the Cats within a goal with a shorthanded breakaway goal.
“I see a young player growing with some confidence,” Brunette said. “He’s getting rewarded for it and it’s fun to see.
Luostarinen already matched his career-high in points through 19 games this season, scoring seven goals and an assist to match the total of eight he had in 44 games in 2020-21.
“Last year, I think he started the year like that, and he kind of hit the wall, maybe lost his confidence,” Brunette said.
”He came into camp this year ready to go and he’s found a nice little role and he’s taking advantage of it.”
Ryan Lomberg also broke his career-high in points with his third-period goal that started the rally.
It took him 34 games to hit the four-point mark in 2020-21, but this year, he already hit five points in his first 13 games.
Offense is far from the only thing Lomberg brings to the lineup, however.
He possesses a lot of speed and he hounds the puck, he also loves to get physical, which makes him a fan favorite here in Sunrise.
“The fans give me energy every night,” Lomberg said. “To have them in my corner, it means everything.”
The Panthers rewarded the man who Panthers fans call the ‘Lomborgini’ with a two-year contract extension last week.
“Ryan has brought physicality and contagious energy to our lineup,” general manager Bill Zito said upon announcing the extension.
“We are excited to announce that he will continue to be a part of the Panthers organization for years to come.”
With Hornqvist, the Panthers knew exactly what they were getting from the moment they traded for him ahead of last season.
He’s a veteran leader who can get in front of the net, screen the goaltender, and pot in goals from those dirty areas.
It’s shown both on the ice and in the box score, with Hornqvist totaling three goals and 11 points on the season.