The Florida Panthers will continue to face challenges without one of their key players, as head coach confirmed that star forward will miss several more games due to an illness. Tkachuk, who already missed Saturday’s game against Buffalo, is now set to sit out today’s matchup against the Boston Bruins.
Maurice provided further updates, revealing that Tkachuk won’t just miss today’s game, but will also be sidelined for Tuesday’s game in Columbus, as well as upcoming games against Vancouver and Vegas. The hope is for Tkachuk to return by next Tuesday when the Panthers face off against the Minnesota Wild.
With both Tkachuk and team captain Sasha Barkov out, the Panthers are forced to adjust their lineup, playing 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Uvis Balinskis, a defenseman, will be moved up to play as a forward for today’s game.
In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky returns for Florida, while Boston is expected to start Jeremy Swayman. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged the intensity of playing against Florida, urging his team to stay focused.
“We’ve got to get back to playing hockey,” Montgomery said. “I love the emotion, they’re our rivals, but we’ve got to stay disciplined.”
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