The Florida Panthers are no different than many other teams around the NHL.
The Christmas break couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Panthers hope the four days off provided their players enough time to reset heading into their matchup on Saturday afternoon against the visiting Montreal Canadiens in Sunrise, Fla.
“We need these four days bad,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said following a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. “Between guys with the flu and a bunch of guys that played not at 100 percent, I think most of them will get right back to good.”
Most important will be the health of Matthew Tkachuk, who had to be helped off the ice late in the first period against the Lightning after taking a hard hit to his right knee.
He was not on the ice to start the second period, but emerged a few minutes later at the start of a 5-on-3 power play and finished the game.
“It’s because he knows,” Maurice said. “Because he knew that he wasn’t the only guy in the training room at that point and we couldn’t afford to lose two or three guys at once.”
Maurice also said Tkachuk likely was aware that the game was being closely officiated and there would be teammates in the penalty box as well.
“Matthew’s got a great emotional feel for the game about what needs to happen next,” Maurice said. “He just knew that we needed him back. He wasn’t at 100 percent, obviously.”
Montreal, meanwhile, was trying to extend its longest winning streak of the season to four games, but lost 5-4 on Monday to the Columbus Blue Jackets after surrendering the final two goals of the third period.
“It’s hard to win in this league,” Montreal center Jake Evans said. “You’ve got to play three full periods.”
More concerning for the Canadiens will be the status of forward Patrik Laine, who did not return for the second period after absorbing a few big hits from his former team in the first, the biggest from defenseman Dante Fabbro at 14:08.
Laine played just two more shifts after that hit.
Montreal also will come out of the Christmas break facing five consecutive road games.
The Canadiens will play back-to-back afternoon games at the Panthers and Lightning before flying west to play the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Another long flight will take Montreal to Chicago on Friday before it travels to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche the following night.
The Canadiens come out of the break seven points out of the final wild-card spot in the West, so collecting points on the road will be imperative.
“We’re trying to get back into the playoffs,” Evans said.
The Panthers, on the other hand, have four straight home games coming out of the Christmas break after playing eight of their first 11 games this month on the road.
“The four days (off) will be great for this team,” Maurice said. “It was our third home game this month and still a little traveling here from the start of the season, and I thought it showed (against the Lightning). Not so much the will, just the ability to push through.”
–Field Level Media
