{ "blocks": [ { "type": "video", "data": { "url": "https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/video-migration/5WsWZvoF.mp4", "streached": true, "controls": true, "caption": "Panthers hold full team practice at SAP Center in San Jose on Jan. 24.", "image": { "url": "https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/video-migration/5WsWZvoF-poster.jpg" }, "cdn": { "service": "jwplayer", "playlistUrl": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5WsWZvoF.m3u8", "sources": [ { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/5WsWZvoF.m3u8", "type": "application/vnd.apple.mpegurl" }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-6LgJnXEq.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 180, "width": 320, "label": "180p", "bitrate": 502826, "filesize": 11250746, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-1QJ1dkot.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 270, "width": 480, "label": "270p", "bitrate": 704693, "filesize": 15767510, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-h6aVm5rK.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 720, "width": 1280, "label": "720p", "bitrate": 2257042, "filesize": 50501336, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-UQSYMDp9.m4a", "type": "audio/mp4", "label": "AAC Audio", "bitrate": 113696, "filesize": 2543966 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-vnHaI3dA.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 1080, "width": 1920, "label": "1080p", "bitrate": 4567733, "filesize": 102203042, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-yFReK32n.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 360, "width": 640, "label": "360p", "bitrate": 889247, "filesize": 19896922, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/5WsWZvoF-0LealTTd.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 540, "width": 960, "label": "540p", "bitrate": 1493378, "filesize": 33414334, "framerate": 30 } ] } } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "For the second time this week, the Florida Panthers are in California preparing to kick off a back-to-back set." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The Cats have traveled north and will face the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday night. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "It will be the second and final meeting between Florida and San Jose this season after the two battled down in Sunrise back in early December." } }, { "type": "image", "data": { "file": { "url": "https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg" }, "caption": "" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "That game, a 3-1 Panthers victory, was the last one that goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood played for the Sharks. He was traded to Colorado two days later. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "San Jose held a 10-15-5 record when they traded Blackwood, and that's after starting the season 0-7-2. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "In the 21 games the Sharks have played since, they have won only four (4-16-1)." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "A bright spot for San Jose this season has been the outstanding play of rookie Macklin Celebrini. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The first overall selection at last summer’s NHL Entry Draft is looking every bit the part of a No. 1 pick. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Celebrini has racked up an impressive 15 goals and 35 points in the first 39 games he’s played in the NHL, and he’s riding a two-game goal streak entering Saturday’s date with the Panthers. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Florida arrives in San Jose hopeful that top pairing defenseman Aaron Ekblad will make his return to the lineup. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "It’s been over two weeks since Ekblad last suited up, missing each of Florida’s past seven games with an upper-body injury." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The good news for the Cats is that Ekblad was a full participant in Friday’s practice at SAP Center. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Whether that leads to him suiting up against the Sharks remains to be seen." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “There’s a chance he plays tomorrow.”" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "After getting in a good skate on Friday, it would seem barring any setbacks, the all-situations blueliner is ready to make his return." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "While the Panthers have maintained without him, it will certainly be a boost to their back line when Ekblad is back out there. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "“He touches all three phases of our game, and really important minutes in all of those,” said Maurice. “We’ve missed him.”" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Before joining his teammates for Friday’s full practice, Ekblad had been skating on his own for over a week, doing what he could to keep his legs fresh. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "That will help him hit the ground running whenever he does crack the lineup. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "“He skates hard, and he preps hard,” said Maurice. “The heart and lungs and all that stuff, we’re not worried about that at all.”" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Here are the Panthers projected lines and for Saturday's swim with the Sharks:" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Matthew Tkachuk – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Eetu Luostarinen – Sam Bennett – Mackie Samoskevich" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Carter Verhaeghe – Anton Lundell – Jesper Boqvist" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Evan Rodrigues" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Tony Bjornfot – Nate Schmidt " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Scratches: Uvis Balinskis, Jonah Gadjovich, Adam Boqvist" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The Hockey Show: Connor McDavid suspension, impressive Panthers youngsters, Rose takes over" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Matthew Tkachuk will be sharp dressed man at 4 Nations thanks to Perry Ellis" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Three takeaways: 2 good periods not enough to win playoff-type game in Los Angeles" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Kings defeat Panthers 2-1, pulling off rare comeback on visiting Cats" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Three takeaways: Panthers getting balanced scoring, top line chemistry starting to grow" } }, { "type": "image", "data": { "file": { "url": "https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg" }, "caption": "" } } ] }

Panthers road trip continues in San Jose against sinking Sharks