Weekly Report: Panthers, Hurricanes Fighting for Top Spot in Division, Jake Bean Gets First NHL Goal and More

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Even though we’re not playing this season, we’ll still be keeping an eye on things that happen in the hockey world that Checkers fans should know about. Check in each week for the latest updates!

FLORIDA PANTHERS

The Panthers began their home stand by taking two of three against the Dallas Stars before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in the shootout on Saturday.

Florida, now second in the division behind Tampa Bay with a record of 13-4-3, has shown a recent propensity for comebacks after erasing two-goal, third-period deficits in each of its last two games. The Panthers' matchups against Carolina, which trails them by just two points, have been particularly entertaining, with both going to overtime and the Panthers coming back from two down in each contest.

Florida begins the week with a rematch against Alex Nedeljkovic and Carolina tonight and will later travel to Nashville for games on Thursday and Saturday. Panthers/Hurricanes Part Four is set for Sunday in Raleigh.

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

The Crunch played just one game last week as Wednesday’s scheduled contest against Rochester was moved to tonight according to COVID-19 protocols. They lost their lone outing against Utica on Saturday by a 4-2 score and are now 1-4-1 on the season. Defenseman Brady Keeper was the only Panthers prospect to appear on the score sheet on Saturday with an assist and a career-high seven shots on goal. Samuel Montembeault took the loss despite 27 saves and a stopped penalty shot.

There were a handful of Crunch transactions involving Panthers prospects last week. Forward Grigori Denisenko and defenseman Riley Stillman are now on the Panthers’ NHL taxi squad, with veteran forward Scott Wilson coming the other way. Additionally, the Crunch recalled forward Greg Meireles from Greenville and the Panthers loaned rookie defenseman Max Gildon, who had not yet played this season, to AHL Bakersfield.

GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS

The Swamp Rabbits won two of their three games against the Allen Americans last week, with an offense that had suffered back-to-back shutouts exploding for at least four goals in each contest.

Prior to his recall to Syracuse, Meireles scored twice and currently ranks second on the team with 19 points (6g, 12a) in 24 games. Forward Patrik Bajkov, another Panthers prospect, also scored twice and now has 11 points (6g, 4a) in 14 outings. Goalie Ryan Bednard turned in a 42-save performance in a 4-1 win on Thursday.

The Swamp Rabbits, who rank fourth in the East Division with a record of 12-9-7, will play a three-in-three in Rapid City starting Friday.

IN OTHER NEWS

  • Jake Bean became the latest former Checker to earn his first NHL goal as he struck on the power play against the Panthers on Saturday. Earlier in the week against Tampa, Bean led the team with seven shots on goal.


  • Later that same game, Warren Foegele scored his fourth goal of the season to put the Canes ahead late before Florida again answered back.


  • Finally from Saturday’s game, Martin Necas had the shootout winner.


  • Morgan Geekie’s AHL stint was short lived as the Hurricanes called him back up following last week’s Player of the Week performance. He has not played for Carolina since this promotion.

  • On the heels of his World Junior gold medal with Team USA, Spencer Knight, a 2019 first-round pick and the Panthers’ goalie of the future, is enjoying another standout season at Boston College.


  • Julien Gauthier appeared to score his second goal of the season for the New York Rangers on Friday but the credit eventually went to another former Checker, Phil Di Giuseppe, on the deflection.


  • A supporting player on the Checkers’ Calder Cup team, Nick Schilkey is making the most of a bigger role for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as he leads the team with eight points (2g, 6a) in seven contests. More on how his Charlotte experience prepared him for this step forward in this Citizen’s Voice article.


  • After spending last season and the start of this season in the KHL, Ryan Murphy continues his successful return to the AHL with Henderson. His 10 points (3g, 7a) in nine games lead league defensemen and tie him for second overall.

  • Victor Rask appears to be enjoying a bounce-back season in Minnesota. After scoring 22 points in 92 games over the last two seasons, he has nine in 16 for the Wild this season.

  • Veteran defenseman Tommy Cross, a Panthers prospect who was an alternate captain for their affiliate in Springfield last season, is now on loan with the Providence Bruins.

  • Former Checker Jacob Pritchard, who had not yet played this season, joined the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers last week.