Somewhere between a hectic work schedule, Ashoka, and life in general…I’m finding time to catch up on our Florida Panthers preseason action.
While I haven’t seen much game action, guys like George Richards are helping keep me in the loop!
Per a recent article over at his
FLA Hockey Now site, George had this to say about some of the standout young Cats battling for a spot with the big boy club come opening night:
“Here are some observations from the Panthers’ 4-2 preseason win over the Hurricanes:
Mackie Samoskevich was the best player on the ice on Friday night. His speed and agility outclassed most of the roster of fringe-NHLers and prospects Carolina dressed, creating numerous breakaways. He scored on one with a really nice backhand move. He was great defensively as well, making a couple important plays with his stick to snuff out Carolina rush opportunities. The 20-year-old looks NHL ready.
John Ludvig had a solid all-around performance, blocking two shots, taking two shots and throwing a hit. He excels at limiting space for opportunities on penalty kills and, well, getting in front of shots. He has blocked eight of them in three preseason games.
Anthony Stolarz stopped 28 of 30 shots in his preseason debut and had some great saves in there. The magnum opus was a glove save he sprawled out for after an Uvis Balinskis turnover caused a breakaway for Carolina.
Steven Lorentz was a difference-maker on both sides of the ice, throwing three hits, blocking two shots and going eight-of-14 in the face-off dot. He capped off the performance with a shorthanded breakaway goal while continuing to build his case to earn time on Florida’s penalty kill unit come the regular season.
Matt Kiersted was steady on both sides of the ice, making solid defensive plays and blocking three shots while earning an assist on the game-winning goal with a shot from the point.
Santtu Kinnunen created multiple opportunities with his excellent vision while his speed and agility shined on the defensive end.”
Seeing Ludvig’s name on this list is very encouraging. As some of you know, I have been singing his praises since he joined the organization. I think he has the ability to be an in-house answer on defense in some capacity (Kiersted, too). His game appears to be that of a more grounded, defense-first approach, where shot-blocking and physicality are his strengths.
I’m excited by the Stolarz signing and still believe he should be the man backing up Bob when the season kicks off. I like what I’ve seen/read of him and believe the experience he has at both the AHL and NHL level qualifies him for the gig. Adding to that, given Knight is trying to get back into the groove after a long hiatus, I’d rather roll with a guy who has been in the mix and shown some talent with his opportunities in Anaheim. Let Knight get up to speed in the AHL.
Currently sitting at 3-1-0, the Panthers will look to continue their preseason success tomorrow when they faceoff against the Ottawa Senators.
Strong pace and youthful energy seem to be Florida’s key right now, and with only a couple games left for the young guns to make their case for a roster spot, I expect some really exciting play.
With cuts coming up on Monday, I’m pumped to see how this team shapes up!
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May the Force be with you…Go Panthers!
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