Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk speaks after logging a hat trick during Florida's 5-1 win in St. Louis on Jan. 9. Matthew Tkachuk is off to quite a start in the year 2024. Tuesday night in St. Louis, Tkachuk hit the ice in his hometown and put on a show in front of his parents, friends and family. He logged a third period hat trick, finishing with four points while helping the Florida Panthers to an eighth straight win. “He's on a ripper right now,” Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said of Tkachuk after Florida's 5-1 victory. “He's got an ability to rise to the occasion in the big games. His family is in town here tonight, it's the end of a road trip, we needed something and he brought it.” Tkachuk may have gotten off to a slow start to the year production-wise, but he never wavered in his demeanor nor his confidence. The same could be said of his coach and his teammates. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] Everyone knew that eventually, things would start going Tkachuk’s way again. It looks like they were right. Tkachuk finished his 2023 by logging seven assists in seven games, but once the calendar flipped to 2024, he really turned a corner. In four January games, Tkachuk has six goals and 12 points. “I haven't changed anything, maybe they're just going in a little bit more,” Tkachuk told Bally Sports Florida’s Katie Engelsson after Tuesday’s win. “I'm trying to get to the net more, but I haven't changed one thing with my routine or how I prepare for games, so I guess I was just waiting to get to 2024.” While yes, the goals have seemingly come as suddenly as the New Year did, Tkachuk’s recent run of production stretches further back. Starting with the first of Florida’s current eight-game winning streak, Tkachuk has racked up 17 points. “He's been on a run for a while, I think probably last three weeks you've seen the game change where, I don't want to say pucks aren’t going in, he's just getting a different look,” Maurice said. “It's different around the net for him, but he had never changed his game over that course of time. He was committed to what the team needs to do to win, so that's why I was never really worried about it. We were winning hockey games, and you know he's gonna score, but just for his own good feeling, and his linemates as well, it's great to see. He's had an incredible trip.” There was also something special about wrapping up the perfect road trip with an exclamation point kind of night and doing it in front of countless family and friends. “It's nice, it's his hometown and I’m really happy for him,” said Panthers captain Sasha Barkov. “He’s been really good lately scoring points, but again, he's doing so many things for this team and for this locker room, and I’m just really happy to see him score goals.” When it comes to players putting their ego aside, playing their hearts out and leading by example, with Barkov and Tkachuk, game recognizes game. Tuesday night provided the perfect opportunity for Tkachuk to show, just as he did during Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, that he the bigger the moment, the more he’s inclined to be a difference maker. It may not have been a national audience while competing for the ultimate prize, but playing a hometown game in front of dozens of people you care about, while throwing into the mix the situation Florida has been in, how well they’re playing and trying to wrap up the road trip on a major high, Tkachuk picked a hell of a time to remind everyone what he’s capable of. “I love it,” he said. “Not only family, there were so many people that I was just looking through the crowd that I know or have run into before or just cross paths with. St. Louis is such a small town, which is one thing I really love about it here. It seemed like a lot of people were out here at the game tonight, so I'm glad I was able to come through for them.” LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Tkachuk, Panthers stay hot, wrap up road trip with 5-1 win in St. Louis [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/tkachuk-panthers-stay-hot-wrap-up-road-trip-with-5-1-win-in-st-louis] Panthers arrive in St. Louis looking to wrap up road trip with eighth straight win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-arrive-in-st-louis-looking-to-wrap-up-road-trip-with-eighth-straight-win] Panthers take road trip detour, hold practice in Vail after relaxing day off [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-take-road-trip-detour-hold-practice-in-vail-after-relaxing-day-off] Sam Reinhart 'honored' to follow in father Paul's footsteps as NHL All-Star [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/sam-reinhart-honored-to-follow-in-father-pauls-footsteps-as-nhl-all-star] THN Archive: Panthers early franchise success easy as 1-2-3 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/features/thn-archive-panthers-early-franchise-success-easy-as-1-2-3] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
