FORT LAUDERDALE — Matthew Tkachuk plans on attending tonight’s national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. He has some business to attend to with the Florida Panthers, first.
Tkachuk will play for the first time this season after having surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor tonight against the San Jose Sharks at 6.
Once the game is over, Tkachuk will race over to the stadium for the second half of the Miami-Indiana showdown.
“I’m hoping for a win from us, preferably not in a shootout,’’ Tkachuk said.
The Panthers will start Tkachuk on a third line with Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich to limit his minutes a bit.
Only no one expects Tkachuk to limit himself once he hits the ice tonight.
“I’m here to be a hockey player,’’ Tkachuk said on Monday, ‘’not to cheer from the sidelines. I am here to be competing with the guys. It’s not like I can dip my toe like it is the preseason or even the beginning of a season like past years.
“I told them I am coming back. Throw me in the fire.’’
Paul Maurice said that having Tkachuk back is an obvious lift to a team that is currently four points out of a playoff spot despite its many injuries.
Tkachuk is expected to jump back on the top power play unit, and as Maurice said, should help ease some of the load Sam Reinhart has been carrying throughout the first half of the season.
“It’s awesome. We have been waiting quite a while for this, so, to have him back is huge,’’ Carter Verhaeghe said. “Nothing but excitement for us.’’
The Panthers will again be without Brad Marchand, who will miss his sixth straight game with a lower-body injury.
As for a prediction on the Hurricanes game?
“Keep it close, keep it a one score game,’’ Tkachuk said. “24-21 Canes.”
ON DECK: GAME No. 48
SAN JOSE SHARKS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
