Blue Jackets at Panthers
The Florida Panthers have much higher standards after winning the Atlantic Division last season in surprising fashion, and 11 victories in the first 20 games of 2016-17 is not the start they expected despite some key injuries. The Panthers will try to begin changing their fortunes when they host the improving Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
“We haven’t played our best hockey yet, and it’s just a matter of us getting there as quickly as we can,” Florida forward Vincent Trocheck told the Miami Herald. “We know what this team has the capability of doing. We all have faith we’re going to turn it on.” The Panthers won three of four on their most recent road trip before losing 3-1 to visiting Philadelphia last time out, and a six-game trek looms after playing the Blue Jackets, who are coming off a solid 5-3 victory at Tampa Bay on Friday. Columbus scored on the power play, while short-handed and got the winner from Brandon Saad during a 4-on-4 situation versus the Lightning. Sergei Bobrovsky recorded the win on Friday and owns an 8-1-1 all-time record with a 2.14 goals-against average and .935 save percentage against the Panthers.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), FSN Florida
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (11-5-3): Saad, Cam Atkinson and Alexander Wennberg each recorded a goal and an assist on Friday as Columbus improved to 8-2-2 this month – its best November in franchise history. Atkinson shares the team lead in points with captain Nick Foligno and Wennberg at 19 after posting 15 in 12 games this month. Defenseman Zach Werenski notched his 11th assist of the season Friday and leads all rookie blue-liners with 16 points while forward Josh Anderson recorded his first goal in nine games to push his total to six on the season.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (10-9-1): Veteran Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov were part of one of the most productive lines in the league last season, but the duo has struggled to put the puck in the net in 2016-17, with just four goals between them. “Things just happen and you have to deal with it,” Jagr told the Miami Herald. “We’re not the first guys this has happened to and we won’t be the last.” The best news lately for the Panthers is the return of center Nick Bjugstad (broken hand), who registered two shots and a minus-1 rating against Philadelphia on Tuesday.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus LW Matt Calvert (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Friday and C Justin Scott was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League.
2. Florida C Jonathan Marchessault leads the team with a career-high nine goals and 16 points – two fewer than his total in 45 games with Tampa Bay last season.
3. The Panthers earned at least one point in all three matchups last season (2-0-1), splitting a pair that went to a shootout.