Florida Panthers On SI

Even after a win, the Panthers news isn't ideal

There's an inevitability of, and with, every injury

Ethan J. Skolnick

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As the Florida Panthers are playing out the string, many of their veterans aren't being held together by much more than that.

So even after Florida won its second straight Tuesday night, completing a road-home sweep of the Detroit Red Wings to extend its time until elimination a bit, one of the players who catalyzed that victory is now questionable going forward.

Carter Verhaeghe scored twice in the final 90 seconds, including the game-winner with 15 seconds remaining -- first with a high wrister from just inside the left point and then as the recipient onf a spirited rush, as Sam Bennett dropped a pass on his right side to Matthew Tkachuk who sent it across to Verhaeghe. The latter then fired a shot that was deflected, and found net.

The goal sent the fans into the sort of frenzy they've been in many times during the prior three seasons, all of which ended in the NHL Finals, but not much during this one, as all this win did was get the Panthers back to the same numbers of wins as losses (including overtime losses). They remain double digit points behind a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and even general manager Bill Zito conceded recently that they are realistic about the prospects.

But the good feeling didn't last long.

Tuesday, it was revealed that Verhaeghe, who has been one of the healthier Panthers forwards this season, and one of the Panthers' best clutch playoff performers in prior postseasons, is now banged up himself. "Stiffness," coach Paul Maurice called it. He did not practice and is questionable for Thursday's home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Uvis Balinski also did not practice.

As for the other injured Panthers, Maurice said Brad Marchand will get more information about his lower body injury sometime Wednesday to make a decision on his status the rest of the season -- that has not sounded promising and at Marchand's age (37) it might be wise to shut him down anyway.

And defenseman Seth Jones, who has been out with a broken collarbone since the Winter Classic in early January, could return "in another 7 to 10 days," though it's unclear why he would return at all if the Panthers are eliminated and can win more (in the draft) by losing.

But first, we will see if Tuesday's hero can suit up Thursday -- this is how it goes in the Panthers' season of woe.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan is the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network, based in South Florida and manages the OnSI sites for the Florida Panthers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks. Previously, he wrote for all the major newspapers in South Florida as well as Bleacher Report, and was an afternoon drive radio host. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University.

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