The Panthers' power play was 1-for-28. Now it wins games
Since Oct. 12 Florida has scored on 15 of 38 power plays, and all six of Sam Reinhart's power-play goals came in that stretch.
The Panthers' power play spent the first week of October standing still. One goal on 28 chances across the first five games, by our count, with several of the league's most creative passers on the ice. That wasn't a slump so much as five guys waiting for somebody else to shoot.
Then it woke up, and it hasn't gone back to sleep: since the Buffalo game on Oct. 12, Florida has scored on 15 of its 38 power plays, by our count. That's 39.5 percent over nine games, and it's a major reason a team playing most of the month without Barkov and Marchand is 8-4-2.
Reinhart found his office again
Some of this is simply Sam Reinhart rediscovering his finishing touch. He has six power-play goals, tied with Leon Draisaitl for the league lead, and all six came in the last nine games.
He has never needed much space on the man advantage, and opposing penalty killers know it. He needs the puck to arrive on time, and in the right spot.
Lately it does, because of the two playmakers feeding him. Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones each have 11 power-play points, per NHL data. They're the heaviest-used Panthers on the man advantage with Reinhart: Tkachuk at 5:28 a night, Reinhart at 5:17, Jones at 4:49.
Jones is the piece that changed it. A defenseman with 11 power-play points in 14 games makes the penalty killers respect the point, and once they do, the seams open for Tkachuk and the shot opens for Reinhart. That's not a new system. It's an experienced defenseman making decisions faster than the penalty kill can recover.
The depth showed up too
It isn't a one-unit story, either. Carter Verhaeghe has four power-play goals and Brady Tkachuk has three. Verhaeghe scored twice on the man advantage in the first period at Winnipeg on Oct. 27, when Florida went 3-for-5 and had the game put away before the Jets found their skates.
Paul Maurice appreciated it, with one important qualification. "That is so critical for you — it's won us a bunch of games this year, really," he said that night. Then: "Normally you don't want your power play doing that for you."
He's right to say it out loud, which is why Friday's 5-2 win was the more encouraging result. Anton Lundell's hat trick didn't have a power-play goal in it, and that's the kind of night that keeps a team honest when the special teams cool off.
The honest grade
I've watched Panthers power plays since the first season, including the ones that couldn't score in an empty building. This one is legitimate, and the personnel explains why.
Still, 39.5 percent isn't a level anybody lives at over a full season. My call: it settles in the high 20s by Thanksgiving and stays top 10 in the league. That's plenty once Barkov comes back to win the offensive-zone faceoffs that start it.
What's next
Detroit comes to Sunrise on Monday with a penalty kill that has stopped 66.7 percent of chances, by our count through 13 games, and 69.0 over its last 10. Chicago follows on Wednesday with a penalty kill operating at 78.6 percent.
Pabs' read: Florida scores on the power play in both games, and twice against Detroit. If the Wings keep taking penalties, dale, let Reinhart finish the job.
