Summary
- Brady Tkachuk assisted on Reinhart’s second goal in a 5-3 defeat.
- It was his first point in six games with Florida.
- Paul Maurice says he had not been worried about the winger’s points total.
Brady Tkachuk recorded his first point with the Florida Panthers on October 12, setting up Sam Reinhart during a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. NHL.com’s game report and Gino Hard’s account both described a between-the-legs backhand pass on the power play that helped Florida tie the game in the second period. The assist ended a six-game wait for his first point with his new club. [1] [2]
A milestone within a defeat
Reinhart finished the pass at 13:41 of the second period to make the score 3-3, according to NHL.com. It was his second power-play goal of the night. The report said Tkachuk had joined Florida in a June 23 trade from the Ottawa Senators, placing the assist within his early adjustment to a different team. [1]
Buffalo regained the lead through Noah Ostlund’s power-play goal at 7:15 of the third period, before Tage Thompson scored later in the period to establish the 5-3 final. NHL.com said the Panthers fell to 2-2-2 and had lost four of their previous five games. Tkachuk’s individual breakthrough therefore came in an outing that still left Florida seeking a better overall result. [1]
Coach separates points from performance
Gino Hard’s account relayed coach Paul Maurice’s positive view of Tkachuk’s work around the net and in puck battles. Maurice said he had seen several earlier chances for the winger to contribute offensively and had not been focused on the lack of points. That explanation describes the coach’s assessment and does not establish how the forward will perform over the full season. [2]
The independent report also noted that Tkachuk finished with seven hits and three shots on goal in 16:32 of ice time. It placed Florida’s next scheduled game at Columbus on October 13. Those details concern the completed Buffalo game and the next assignment; the first-point report did not establish the outcome of the Columbus contest or support claims about why Ottawa’s results changed after the trade. [2]