Florida Panthers Open ‘Doubleheader’ With Devils Tonight

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers are going back in time a little this week.

Back during the NHL’s abbreviated 2021 pandemic season, teams would play the same opponent, in the same city, twice in a row.

In some cases, like Winnipeg, teams would play the same opponent three or even four straight times.

There was talk the NHL would like to continue the practice.

Coaches liked it, and so did the accountants since it cut down on travel expenses.

Tonight, the Panthers and New Jersey Devils play the first of two consecutive games at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

Game 1 is tonight at 7:30 (streaming only on ESPN+ and Hulu); Game 2 is Thursday.

“I think it would be great scheduling for the league so we’re not flying all over the place,’’ said Aaron Ekblad. “I’m not complaining, I love what I do, but if you can rest your players a little more, you will get the best product on the ice.”

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Once the Panthers are done playing the Devils, Florida plays a home-and-home series against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Panthers will host Game 1 of that series Saturday, with Game 2 next Tuesday in Manitoba.

“I like it, it cuts down the travel for the teams,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice, whose Jets played the Calgary Flames four straight times from Feb. 1-9 in 2021. “I don’t mind going into a city and playing two games. That would be good. … The coaches like it, it’s actually less work. In that second game, both teams have the same video and can make the adjustments they need to make. It could have a bit of a playoff feel to it.”

Said Devils coach Sheldon Keefe: “You get a lot of it in the American Hockey League and there are some benefits to it; you prepare for the same team, it’s a lot simpler and easier that way. You have a chance to make adjustments between games, so you get a little bit of a playoff feel. The fact we’re playing the league’s best makes it a bigger challenge.’’

This will not be the last time the Panthers play the same opponent in back-to-back games this season — but it will be the only time it comes at home.

Not only will Florida play Winnipeg in consecutive games — one home, one away — but it will do so against Carolina, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, and Montreal as well.

Florida also played Dallas on back-to-back days, but that was part of the NHL Global Series in Finland.

The Carolina and Tampa Bay games will be true back-to-backs with Florida playing the first of both on the road.

After that first game, the two teams will head to the airport and race south to Fort Lauderdale.

But that is for later.

This week, the Panthers have four of their toughest games of the season — all in a row.

The Devils are a much improved team after last season’s disappointment.

Despite a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, their 10 wins is tied for second-most in the Eastern Conference behind the Panthers.

Winnipeg is an even tougher foe with the Jets off to a historic 14-1-0 start.

The Jets have won all four games against the Panthers in the two seasons Maurice has been their coach.

“They have been playing really well this season and we know that. It should be a good test for us,” captain Sasha Barkov said of the Devils. “We just need to make sure we’re ready to play the right way.”

— Florida, which has won its past seven, will roll the same 18 skaters it did in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win against Philadelphia.

The Panthers will have Spencer Knight make his first start since Nov. 2 in Tampere.

The starting goalies will be Knight against former Florida goalie-of-the-future Jacob Markstrom.

ON DECK: GAME 16

NEW JERSEY DEVILS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: None
• National Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Betting Odds — Panthers Favored: Money Line (-130); Puck line (-1.5, -170); Over/Under 6.5 (-110/-110)
• Season Series — At Panthers: Tuesday, Thursday. At Devils: Jan. 14.
• Last Season: Florida won 2-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Devils lead 58-37-7, 7 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. (Local TV)

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (11-3-1) LINES

17 Evan Rodrigues // 16 Sasha Barkov // 13 Sam Reinhart

23 Carter Verhaeghe// 9 Sam Bennett // 19 Matthew Tkachuk

13 Eetu Luostarinen // 15 Anton Lundell // 70 Jesper Boqvist

10 AJ Greer // 92 Tomas Nosek // 12 Jonah Gadjovich

42 Gus Forsling // 5 Aaron Ekblad

77 Niko Mikkola // 7 Dmitry Kulikov

88 Nate Schmidt // 26 Uvis Balinskis

30 Spencer Knight

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

Scratched: Adam Boqvist, Mackie Samoskevich

PROJECTED NEW JERSEY DEVILE (10-6-2) LINES

28 Timo Meier // 13 Nico Hischier // 11 Stefan Noesen

18 Ondrej Palat // 86 Jack Hughes // 63 Jesper Bratt

47 Paul Cotter // 56 Erik Haula // 91 Dawson Mercer

23 Kurtis MacDermid // 37 Justin Dowling // 90 Tomas Tatar

5 Brenden Dillon // 7 Dougie Hamilton

71 Jonas Siegenthaler // 8 Jonathan Kovacevic

43 Luke Hughes // 22 Brett Pesce

25 Jacob Markstrom

34 Jake Allen

Scratched: Nick DeSimone

Injured: Nathan Bastian (jaw), Curtis Lazar (knee)

New Jersey Devils Lines Courtesy NHL.com