Jagr, Panthers Continue Homestand As Coyotes Come To Town
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – It's becoming clear based on what's happened on the ice that the Florida Panthers are not going to play an 83rd game.
While Florida remains mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, their fleeting chances were all but squashed following the latest defeat in their month-long spiral.
The Panthers will be facing another opponent reduced to playing spoiler when they continue a three-game homestand against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.
Florida absorbed its 11th loss in 14 games (3-10-1) in crushing fashion, failing to protect three one-goal leads in a 4-3 setback to Carolina that dropped the team into 13th place in the East.
"I don't know how many games we have lost in the last five minutes," Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov said. "We have been leading almost every game the last two months, and then we find a way to lose them."
Arizona dealt a damaging blow to the postseason hopes of the Tampa Bay Lightning by rallying for three goals in the third period for a 5-3 victory on Tuesday night.
It will be the third stop of a five-game road trip for the Coyotes, who have points in five of their last seven games (4-2-1) and defeated visiting Florida 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 23.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Florida
ABOUT THE COYOTES (27-37-9): Rookie forward Christian Fischer was recalled from Arizona's American Hockey League affiliate on Tuesday to make his fourth NHL appearance and he certainly is making the best of his few chances.
Fischer, who turns 20 next month, scored the opening goal at Tampa Bay to give him three tallies -- all coming on his first three NHL shots.
"Somebody is going to be second guessing how much I play this guy," coach Dave Tippett said. "Every time he gets on the ice to start a game, he scores."
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (31-30-11): With starting netminder Roberto Luongo injured and James Reimer starting the previous eight games, Reto Berra got the nod Tuesday in his first start since December 2015.
While Berra told the media "I have to be better," Barkov lent some support by telling reporters "We need to play a better defensive game."
Barkov certainly has done his part at the other end of the ice by amassing 20 points in as many games since returning to the lineup following a five-week absence.
OVERTIME
- Barkov has scored four times in his last seven games overall and twice in four career contests versus Arizona.
- The Coyotes are 1-for-14 on the power play over the past six games.
- Panthers D Keith Yandle, who played eight-plus seasons with Arizona, will be facing his former team for the fourth time.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sports Direct Inc. contributed to this report.)