Matthew Tkachuk makes debut and Spencer Knight stars: More Panthers preseason takeaways

[ad_1]

The Florida Panthers didn’t let Spencer Knight ease his manner into the 2022-23 NHL season.

The star goaltender confronted 20 photographs in lower than half-hour in his first look of the preseason Monday. Knight saved 19 of these photographs, almost doing sufficient for the Panthers to brush a doubleheader with the Nashville Predators on their first day of the preseason.

Instead, one dangerous defensive-zone giveaway by defenseman Marc Staal arrange star left wing Filip Forsberg to beat Knight within the first interval and Florida dropped Game 2, 4-0, at Bridgestone Arena.

The Panthers gained Game 1 in extra time on a last-second objective by star heart Aleksander Barkov.

Panthers’ Tkachuk makes quiet debut

The second recreation marked the Florida debut for Matthew Tkachuk, who partnered up with facilities Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart on the Panthers’ prime line.

Florida, in fact, landed Tkachuk in July as a part of a blockbuster take care of the Calgary Flames. The Panthers shipped All-Star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau and star defenseman MacKenzie Weegar as much as Canada to carry the All-Star proper wing to Florida, hoping the 24-year-old Canadian would carry among the depth the Panthers felt they missed throughout their second-round exit from the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.

His debut was principally a quiet one, although. Tkachuk didn’t put a shot on objective, however his line was simply Florida’s greatest within the second recreation. When the primary line was on the ice, the Panthers outshot the Predators, 6-1, and Tkachuk was lively at any time when he was on the market, getting in the course of scrums and producing Florida’s greatest scoring likelihood within the second interval when he arrange defenseman Brandon Montour with a no-look go. He additionally performed on the Panthers’ prime power-play and penalty-kill models, and completed with successful, a takeaway and a blocked shot.

Florida obtained outshot 38-25, nevertheless it was principally due to the play of its backside two traces, which featured six gamers virtually sure to not make the NHL crew.

Knight will get loads of work

The Panthers nonetheless have 4 extra preseason video games to get Knight some work earlier than the common season begins subsequent month, however the 21-year-old American might need gotten sufficient Monday alone.

Knight solely performed 29:56 in Nashville and nonetheless he confronted 20 photographs, together with 18 within the first interval.

The goalie was the clear star for Florida in Game 2, principally surviving the Predators’ first-period flurry and making one spectacular cease within the second when he stretched out his proper leg to cowl up almost the complete objective after a giveaway behind his personal internet.

The solely objective Knight gave up additionally got here off a foul giveaway within the defensive zone. A Staal go from behind the web went straight to Forsberg, who ripped a shot by means of visitors for the game-winning objective with 5:37 left within the first.

Nashville scored thrice extra within the third interval in opposition to backup goaltender Alex Lyon.

David Wilson, a Maryland native, is the Miami Herald’s utility man for sports activities protection.



[ad_2]

Source link

Comments are closed.