When the Panthers take the ice in Sunrise on Friday night, they will look a little different than they have so far this season.
After all, a team that wins just one of its first five games can expect some changes.
Panthers coach Pete DeBoer stirred the pot a bit Thursday, switching around three of his four forward lines. DeBoer also said backup goalie Scott Clemmensen will get his first start of the season in Friday's game at BankAtlantic Center against the Flyers.
``Change is always the first things coaches look to do when things aren't going well,'' said DeBoer, whose team has lost four in a row. ``But I think we played our best game of the year in Tampa. I think we're getting better and we're getting our legs back. We just need a few breaks, a few things to go right.''
DeBoer said changing goalies is not so much because starter Tomas Vokoun had played poorly, but because Clemmensen was signed as a free agent to take some of the load off Vokoun. Plus, teams sometimes play better when things have been moved around.
``The bottom line is Tomas has played some real good hockey for us,'' DeBoer said. ``But we have won one of our first five games. It's not Tomas' fault; it's the group of 20 and the coaches. But we brought in Scott to play some games. We haven't had that opportunity. Hopefully it's a chance for us to get out of the four-game losing streak.''
Clemmensen missed most of last week after returning home to Iowa because of a family matter. DeBoer said had Clemmensen been around, he probably would have played in one of Florida's three games. Instead, Vokoun played three games in four nights as the Panthers were outscored 13-6.
Friday's game will mark Clemmensen's first NHL start since losing to the Islanders 4-0 on Feb. 21.
Clemmensen had played in only 28 games in parts of five seasons before taking over for the injured Martin Brodeur last season in New Jersey. Clemmensen went 25-13-1 with the Devils, his last two games being losses (before losing to the Islanders, Clemmensen lost 4-0 to the Panthers).
``I'm anxious and excited,'' said Clemmensen, who was 2-0 against the Flyers last season. ``I would like to start out on the right foot. . . . As I've said before: Forty games does not an NHL career make. I feel like I still have a lot to prove.''
Aside from a new goalie, the Panthers also will have new line combinations. DeBoer left the top line alone, but moved Cory Stillman down to the third line with Rostislav Olesz going up to the second. Newly arrived center Dominic Moore will play alongside Kamil Kreps and Ville Koistinen on the fourth line.
``We're just trying to find the right combinations,'' DeBoer said. ``We'll move some things around, and it will give us more flexibility.''
Save for the opening night win against Chicago, the second line has been a disappointment. Olesz leads the team with 15 shots and has one of the team's nine goals.
``He's played well,'' DeBoer said. ``I want to temper that by saying it's only been five games, but he's made it easy for us to keep him among our top nine forwards based on the way he has played.''
SUN AND FUN
The Flyers come into Friday's game after spending much of the week in South Florida. The team took advantage of its schedule to work in some sun and fun. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the team had a boat race on Biscayne Bay on Tuesday, then had a deep-sea fishing tournament after a morning practice Wednesday in Sunrise.
A number of teams hold rookie dinners or have their ``father-son'' trips when they come to the Sunshine State. DeBoer wouldn't mind if the Flyers weren't thinking about playing the Panthers too much while out on the open seas.
``They're a real good-looking team,'' he said. ``The longer they spent in the sun the past three days, the better. We'll take all the help we can get.''
After all, a team that wins just one of its first five games can expect some changes.
Panthers coach Pete DeBoer stirred the pot a bit Thursday, switching around three of his four forward lines. DeBoer also said backup goalie Scott Clemmensen will get his first start of the season in Friday's game at BankAtlantic Center against the Flyers.
``Change is always the first things coaches look to do when things aren't going well,'' said DeBoer, whose team has lost four in a row. ``But I think we played our best game of the year in Tampa. I think we're getting better and we're getting our legs back. We just need a few breaks, a few things to go right.''
DeBoer said changing goalies is not so much because starter Tomas Vokoun had played poorly, but because Clemmensen was signed as a free agent to take some of the load off Vokoun. Plus, teams sometimes play better when things have been moved around.
``The bottom line is Tomas has played some real good hockey for us,'' DeBoer said. ``But we have won one of our first five games. It's not Tomas' fault; it's the group of 20 and the coaches. But we brought in Scott to play some games. We haven't had that opportunity. Hopefully it's a chance for us to get out of the four-game losing streak.''
Clemmensen missed most of last week after returning home to Iowa because of a family matter. DeBoer said had Clemmensen been around, he probably would have played in one of Florida's three games. Instead, Vokoun played three games in four nights as the Panthers were outscored 13-6.
Friday's game will mark Clemmensen's first NHL start since losing to the Islanders 4-0 on Feb. 21.
Clemmensen had played in only 28 games in parts of five seasons before taking over for the injured Martin Brodeur last season in New Jersey. Clemmensen went 25-13-1 with the Devils, his last two games being losses (before losing to the Islanders, Clemmensen lost 4-0 to the Panthers).
``I'm anxious and excited,'' said Clemmensen, who was 2-0 against the Flyers last season. ``I would like to start out on the right foot. . . . As I've said before: Forty games does not an NHL career make. I feel like I still have a lot to prove.''
Aside from a new goalie, the Panthers also will have new line combinations. DeBoer left the top line alone, but moved Cory Stillman down to the third line with Rostislav Olesz going up to the second. Newly arrived center Dominic Moore will play alongside Kamil Kreps and Ville Koistinen on the fourth line.
``We're just trying to find the right combinations,'' DeBoer said. ``We'll move some things around, and it will give us more flexibility.''
Save for the opening night win against Chicago, the second line has been a disappointment. Olesz leads the team with 15 shots and has one of the team's nine goals.
``He's played well,'' DeBoer said. ``I want to temper that by saying it's only been five games, but he's made it easy for us to keep him among our top nine forwards based on the way he has played.''
SUN AND FUN
The Flyers come into Friday's game after spending much of the week in South Florida. The team took advantage of its schedule to work in some sun and fun. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the team had a boat race on Biscayne Bay on Tuesday, then had a deep-sea fishing tournament after a morning practice Wednesday in Sunrise.
A number of teams hold rookie dinners or have their ``father-son'' trips when they come to the Sunshine State. DeBoer wouldn't mind if the Flyers weren't thinking about playing the Panthers too much while out on the open seas.
``They're a real good-looking team,'' he said. ``The longer they spent in the sun the past three days, the better. We'll take all the help we can get.''
