It was a big “welcome back” effort from Sasha Barkov tonight!
A two goal effort went a long way towards forgetting the last two and a half weeks without our beloved. The Panthers turned in a pretty strong game at the team level. They went up 35-31 on shot attempts at 5 on 5 and 50-48 overall. That includes a second period burst which saw the Panthers take 11 attempts on the power play alone. They also piled on in front of the net, which put some serious pressure on Louis Domingue.
The game also came amid trade speculation. Andrew Ladd was scratched in Dallas tonight prior to the game. It was later revealed that he was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks. I have some Panthers-centric thoughts on the move, which I will expand upon at some point on Friday. Until then, bask in the glow of this win!
GREEN: Welcome back Sasha!
YELLOW: Vincent Trocheck was noticeable as well, especially in the first. He was flying around, forcing turnovers, and generally making life hell for a Coyotes defense that did not seem ready to play tonight.
RED: Congratulations to Brian Campbell, who notched his 400th career assist on Vincent Trocheck’s goal.
