I think the Panthers’ website summed up Ekblad’s performance against Nashville pretty well:
“
Aaron Ekblad was simply on another level tonight.
By scoring a pair of goals - including what held up as the game-winner - and finishing with a career-high four points, the former first-overall pick helped the Panthers kick off their five-game road trip on a high note with a 5-4 win over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.
"I thought he had a great game," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said of Ekblad. "He did everything right at both ends. He had a terrific goal on the power play that put us in a really good spot. He did a lot of good things. It was one of those nights where he had the magic touch.”
Even though he's only 25 years old, Ekblad is running out of franchise records to break.
Heading into tonight's meeting with the Predators already sitting in the top spot all-time among Panthers defensemen in goals (77), his goal on the man advantage in the second period moved him past Robert Svehla for the most power-play goals by a blueliner in franchise history with 27.
"He's really something on the ice," Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas said. "He's been a treat to watch. He's feeling it. He's doing really well. I'm happy to be a part of the team that he's on."
Not done there, Ekblad also made his mark among the league's rearguards as well tonight. Slicing through multiple defenders, he ripped a shot past Rinne from the high slot on the power play to increase Florida's lead to 5-2 at 9:07 of the third period. With the score - which held up as the game-winner - he also took over first place among NHL defensemen in goals with eight. “
As someone who was always kind of indifferent towards Ekblad’s play, I have to admit that I’ve been very impressed with him this season - he’s been playing great.
Thursday night’s 5-4 win over the Preds also had a couple more milestones besides Exblad’s career-high four points:
- Marchment scored his first NHL goal on a nifty shot where he made a really nice, subtle head move to get Rinne to think he was going to pass instead of shoot.
- Gudas played in his 500th career game.
This Afternoon
The Cats got off to the start we were looking for on Thursday night when they took the lead early. Let’s keep that up and not go another six games with no first period goals, please...
I would like to see them take off the same way today, but this time don’t let Nashville creep back in. Yikes, I was getting a little nervous there for a minute. Haha.
One of the ways to help stay in control - besides the obvious of scoring more goals - is to control the dot. The Panthers were awful in the faceoff department on Thursday. Their faceoff percentage was a measly 35.8% to the Preds’ 64.2%...
via GIPHY
I think another key to today is going to be Bob. I wouldn’t have thought that coming into this season, but #72 might slowly be finding his form and I think he’s getting stronger with consecutive reps.
It’s funny, a few weeks ago I thought Driedger was emerging as the #1 (though Bob’s contract would never allow for that to be admitted), but Bob is putting up a good fight here. The man is 7-2-2 this year and has looked a bit more controlled/steady in the blue paint as of late. Still some things he’s ironing out, but I hope he continues the good progress.
Will he eventually grab the starting spot and run with it?
Around the Hockey World
Sad news out of the Gretzky camp. RIP to Walter Gretzky.
Congrats to Brent Seabrook on a great career. Enjoy retirement and thanks for all the embodies, #7!
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Let’s keep the legs moving, the shots coming, and the pucks finding the back of the net today!
Go Panthers!
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