Florida (4-7-1) at Phoenix (5-6-0) 9:00 p.m. EST
GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Florida Panthers are not
winning and coach Peter DeBoer's patience is wearing thin.
The Panthers try to snap a five-game winless streak on Saturday
when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes.
Florida dropped to 0-4-1 during its slide when it endured a 3-2
loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. The Panthers managed
six shots on goal over the first two periods against the Kings
before finding the back of the net early in the third and in the
final minute of the contest.
DeBoer, who is in his first year behind an NHL bench, was
clearly unhappy.
"It's inexcusable and you'll have to ask the leadership group in
the room and we're just not good enough bottom line," DeBoer
said. "Six shots through two periods is not enough. ... You
have to win puck battles and get your nose dirty, and we don't
have a lot of guys that want to do that."
DeBoer said he has no reservations about sitting players who he
believes don't deserve ice time.
"It's our job to make them do it and we're at the point in the
season now where you have to earn your ice time or you're not
going to play," he said. "Unfortunately, there were too many
guys to sit (Thursday) to use benching as a motivation to them."
The Coyotes will also be looking to bounce back from a loss
after dropping a hard-fought 1-0 decision to the Vancouver
Canucks on Thursday. The setback was Phoenix's third in the
last five games.