Florida's top line took off during the third period after a key change by Paul Maurice
Florida's top line took off during the third period after a key change by Paul Maurice
The Florida Panthers comeback win over the New Jersey Devils was a game full of ebbs and flows.
Florida hit the ice ready to roll, coming out with one of their best starts of the season. At one point late in the first period they held a shot advantage over New Jersey of 16-5.
The Devils picked things up in the second as the Panthers high-octane attack became a bit stagnant.
Between the Cats cooling off and Jersey netting a pair of goals, the momentum had clearly shifted in favor of the visitors.
That led Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice to make a slight change to the forward lines, flipping right wingers Anthony Duclair, who had been skating on the top line with Sasha Barkov and Eetu Luostarinen, and Sam Reinhart, who was skating alongside Anton Lundell and Ryan Lomberg.
“Sam Reinhart has been fantastic for five or six games,” Maurice said after the game. “I think the offensive part of Barkov’s line was okay. It had stalled a little bit in the last two (games). They got a whole bunch of chances early on with when Anthony started there, but it stalled a little bit.”
Duclair was playing in his eighth game of the season after recovering from Achilles surgery and while he can still look like the fastest guy on the ice, the overall consistency in his game is still lacking.
Playing on a top line is tough because more often than not, you’re going to be facing the opposing team’s best defensive players.
Sliding Duclair down to the third line was just as strategic a move as it was to put Reinhart, who is riding one of his patented hot streaks, up on Barkov’s unit.
The fact that the Panthers only played better after this move shows that Maurice has a good feel for his players, and those players are able to respond positively to in-game adjustments, which isn’t always easy.
“What I liked the most about it is they're not fazed by adjustments,” Maurice said after the game. “Reinhart goes with Barkov in the third, Duclair goes (to Anton Lundell’s) line, and both of those lines just got better. It opens a different set of defensemen for Anthony Duclair to play with, and now that third line is exceptionally fast.”
Reinhart’s new line opened the scoring for Florida, with Barkov benefiting from a lucky bounce off the back of defenseman Marc Staal after he found his way to the front of the net.
That seemed to open the flood gates for the Panthers, who despite trailing 2-0 entering the final frame came out with a resounding 4-2 victory.
Reinhart ended up with a pair of third period goals, giving him five over his past four games.
“Reino goes in there and they’re off and running again,” Maurice said of the Barkov line.
Maurice has shown that he’ll ride a hot hand, or a hot line, without reserve. Afterall, when a player is cooking, best to give him the best ingredients available.
It’s why Carter Verhaeghe currently finds himself on the top power play unit, and why it wouldn’t be surprising to see Reinhart stick around on the top line when Florida hits the ice Monday in Detroit.
Or Maurice could keep the move in his back pocket and employ when and if necessary. He’s got a mature, versatile and extremely talented team that doesn’t get phased by in-game adjustments.
Some might call that a coach’s dream.
“We like where our game is at,” Maurice said. “We’re playing hard, playing smart, and I’ve got four lines that can play here now and contribute.”