THN Florida's David Dwork discusses three players who stood out from the Panthers 6-3 preseason win over Tampa Bay. An injury kept Justin Sourdif from playing in the preseason last year with the Florida Panthers. Admittedly, he was not very happy at the time. "I was down in the dumps,” Sourdif said. “This year has been a blast.” The former Western Hockey League standout and 2020 third-round pick of the Panthers is entering his second pro season and is looking to make his mark. He’s played well during training camp and the preseason, and at just 21 years old, there is plenty of room for growth with the tenacious young winger. “I was just trying to have as much fun out there as I could,” Sourdif said after scoring the game-winning goal and adding an assist Thursday night in Tampa. Bringing a consistent blend of speed and puck skills, Sourdif hasn’t seen his game drop off at any point during camp. That’s the kind of thing that sets young players apart when they’re the final prospects left among a group of seasoned veterans. “I think I’m a quick player, and (the coaches) just tell me to keep moving my feet constantly and it’ll help me create space out there and I'll have more opportunity to make plays,” Sourdif said. Another young forward that has been looking to make his mark during the preseason is Mackie Samoskevich. The 2021 first-round pick has been pushing for a spot on Florida’s Opening Night roster and Maurice has been giving him a good hard look. After skating on a line with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett on Tuesday night, Samoskevich found himself on the wing of Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart Thursday in Tampa. He failed to crack the scoresheet in either of this week’s games, despite the high-end talent he’s been grouped with, and that’s after leading the Panthers with 3 goals and 6 points through Florida’s first four preseason games. Still, he’s looking the part of a player who fits in at the NHL level. He’s not getting lost in the mix and has continuously made smart plays with the puck around the net. “For the younger players confidence is everything, right?” Maurice said. “They’re processing things completely differently than in the past. The game happens so much faster, you have to rely on your instincts more. When you get that feeling that your instincts are right, you end up getting faster, and I thought all of those younger players, as the game went on, they got faster.” Samoskevich and Sourdif will get their last chance to make an impression on Saturday night when Florida closes out its preseason schedule against Tampa Bay. It’s a tough task for either to earn an NHL job as both are top-six forwards that wouldn’t be suited playing fourth line roles and minutes. If either is going to stick around, they’ll be taking the job of someone expected to start the year in the scoring role for the Panthers. We’ll be watch both closely to see how things play out. The puck drops at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday at 6 p.m. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg]
