SUNRISE — Coincidence or not, Carter Verhaeghe has been on fire for the Florida Panthers the past few games.
Verhaeghe, one may remember, missed last Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs to be with his wife Casey for the birth of their first child, Rory.
Since?
Verdaddy, as his teammates are calling him, has been tearing up the scoresheet.
The Panthers have certainly needed it.
Perhaps it is the lack of being able to take his normal pregame nap, but Verhaeghe has four goals in his three games back earning NHL Third Star of the Week in the process.
The Panthers are 2-0-1 since Verhaeghe returned.
Florida had been patiently waiting for Verhaeghe to get back on a scoring roll.
He started his season with two goals in his first 21 games; Verhaeghe has 11 points off six goals in his past six.
“He is tenacious around the net,’’ Seth Jones said. “When he is getting his chances, he is putting it in the net which is great. But it all starts with his speed, his forecheck, his hitting ability, and his playmaking. He is a catalyst for our team; when he is playing well, we are playing well.’’
With players like Sasha Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk out of the lineup, Florida has needed someone to pick up the scoring slack.
Lately, it has been Verhaeghe and center Sam Bennett.
The two have combined for nine goals and 21 points since Nov. 22.
“It’s critical because a lot of nights, you can’t tell which our No. 1 line is,” Paul Maurice said. “Sam has, for about the last 10 games, skating as well as he ever has. They started with A.J. Greer and he really helped Carter because he could skate with him. So, he pushed them up.”
The Panthers flew straight to Salt Lake City following Sunday’s 4-1 win over the New York Islanders, a game in which Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist.
Maurice joked that Verhaeghe was not the only dad on the team who likely welcomed the trip west — if nothing else but to catch up on some rest.
It does not look like sleep deprivation has affected Verhaeghe at all.
“All the guys with babies are at the rink first,” Maurice said. “That’s a fact.”
ON DECK: GAME No. 29
FLORIDA PANTHERS at UTAH MAMMOTH
