After losing three straight last week, the Florida Panthers have managed to bounce back, despite injuries. And in Florida’s first game without Aaron Ekblad, they notched a victory over the Detroit Red Wings, marking their third-straight victory.
The Panthers were without Aleksander Barkov, Patrick Hornqvist, and Ekblad, who is likely out for the season after undergoing surgery to “repair a fracture in his lower extremities.”
Even with three of their top players out, others stepped up. Carter Verhaeghe scored two — one in the first period and one in the second — and Jonathan Huberdeau and Brett Connolly each scored once in the first. The Panthers finished the first up 3-0 and the second 4-1, which would be the final score for the night.
“The team has been doing well,” Verhaeghe said. “We’re on a three-game winning streak now after a three-game losing streak, so it shows the resiliency of our team.”
Brett Connolly, who also scored one tonight, added that “guys are playing for each other. It’s been a lot of fun seeing everyone come together… Guys just work hard, and it shows. We have a good solid team throughout our lineup.”
This “good solid team” is looking like a top team once again after another strong game.
Star of the Game: Sergei Bobrovsky (1 GA, 35 SV)
In March, Bobrovsky has led Florida to an 8-3 record with him in the net. When Bobrovsky is good, he’s making a multitude of magnificent saves. On Tuesday, he looked like the two-time Vezina Trophy winner that he is.
