Panthers (13-13-5 31P) vs Avalanche (11-16-1 23P)
.
- WHEN: 9:00 p.m. ET – LBC GameThread right here at 8:30ish
- WHERE: Pepsi Center – Denver, CO
- ON THE TUBE: FOX Sports Florida, Altitude
- ON THE DIAL: 560 WQAM, 640 WMEN
- SOCIALS: #FlaPanthers, #Avs, #FLAvsCOL, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook
- ENEMY INTEL: Mile High Hockey
- SB NATION: Game Feature Hub
- FLA IN SEASON SERIES: Game 2 of 2 (1-0-0)
- ALL-TIME vs COL/QUE (RS): 12W-18L-3T 2OTL 1SOL 103GF 119GA
- ALL-TIME at COL/QUE (RS): 6W-6L-3T 2OTL 0SOL 44GF 49GA
- LAST FIVE vs COL/QUE (RS): 3-2-0 17GF 13GA
- LAST MEETING: Host FLA 5, COL 2 (Kevin’s Recap) – 10/22/2016
- NEXT MEETING: 2017-18
- PROJECTED STARTERS: Reimer (3-4-2 .896/2.96 0SO), Pickard (5-4-1 .907/2.86 1SO)
- TALE OF THE TAPE via Left Wing Lock
- JAGR WATCH: All-time vs COL/QUE (RS): 43GP 21G-29A 50P +10 1GWG
- PLAYER STATS: Florida / Colorado/
*
Scouting Report:
The Florida Panthers are struggling to find the magic that got them into the playoffs last year, but one thing that has them feeling good is the historic chase by Jaromir Jagr.
The ageless forward enters Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche within three points of Mark Messier for second on the NHL all-time scoring. Jagr had an assist in the Panthers’ 4-3 shootout loss at Winnipeg on Thursday and has 1,884 career points.
At 44, he doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
“He’s ageless, he’s still going and doing very well,” Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla told HockeyBuzz.com. “I’m definitely impressed. His reach and his shot, and he’s definitely not easy to knock off the puck. You go to hit him and you feel it just as much as he would. There’s not that many guys at that age who would still have the fire and passion to still be doing it.”
Jagr would like to be doing it on a team on a roll, but the Panthers (13-13-5) have struggled since associate general manager Tom Rowe took over behind the bench for the fired Gerard Gallant. Florida is 2-4-4 since Rowe became the interim coach. (More via Yahoo! Sports/AP)
*
Last game by the Cats: 4-3 shootout loss Thursday in Winnipeg Past five: 1-2-2 (streak: 1L)
Last game by the Avs: 4-3 (REG) home loss Wednesday vs Philadelphia. Past five: 2-3-0 (streak: 1L)
*
Friday in the Atlantic Division (Standings/Panthers Playoff Chances):
- NY Islanders (11-13-5 27P) at BUFFALO (11-11-6 28P), 7:00
- San Jose (18-11-1 37P) at MONTREAL (19-6-4 42P), 7:30
- TAMPA BAY (15-13-2 32P) at Vancouver (12-16-2 26P), 10:00
- Idle: OTW (35P), BOS (35P), DET (30P), TOR (29P), /
*
Panthers, SoFla Media & Loyal Opposition on the Tweets