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Vincent Trocheck was stellar last night, and we should talk about it

By Shane O'Donnell

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Last night, against the Colorado Avalanche, Vincent Trocheck scored two goals and added an assist to give himself nine points in nine games. Needless to say, the 2015-2016 season is going pretty well for Trocheck.

That point per game pace likely isn’t going to continue, as the 22-year-old’s on ice shooting percentage in all situations is 14.5%. Still Trocheck has shown flashes of skill and offensive talent that bode well for the rest of the season, and for his future in South Florida.

Let’s take a look at the first goal the young center scored last night. After the Avalanche cleared the puck out of their zone, Trocheck skated down into his own end, and received a breakout pass from Brian Campbell near the top of the right circle, with about 30 seconds left in the period, and a minute remaining on the power play.

Trocheck picks up tons of speed through the neutral zone, but still has all four Colorado penalty killers in front of him.

He makes a quick move to get around John Mitchell, and then maneuvers past Nick Holden before getting his shot off.

Note how Holden is opened up in the above picture, and is skating forwards instead of backwards. At this point, Trocheck has beaten Avalanche defenseman. The smaller forward is able to get a clean, uncontested shot off, and due to the speed he had gathered while coming through the neutral zone, goaltender Reto Berra has trouble tracking the shot and isn’t set in the right position when Trocheck snaps the puck off.

Here’s the full play.

Pretty impressive for a player who started the season on the team’s third line (and could return to the third line once the roster gets healthy).

Trocheck’s second goal was also impressive, though for different reasons. The first tally of the night showcased the Pittsburgh native’s speed and skill, while the second highlighted his offensive awareness and quick release.

With the team set up on the power play, Trocheck finds a soft spot in the defensive coverage, and fills it. Dmitry Kulikov sees his teammate open, and delivers a perfect cross ice pass that Trocheck one-times, and sends to the back of the net.

Last, but not least, let’s take a look at Trocheck’s third point of the night, an assist that also came on the power play. The skill of the youngster, as well as his playmaking abilities, are on full display as he feeds Jussi Jokinen a pass while on the ice. Jokinen is then able to find Reilly Smith backdoor, and Smith would easily buries the shot.

Vincent Trocheck is a blossoming, young, offensive talent for the Florida Panthers. His scoring from lower lines should give the Cats some great depth as they push towards the playoffs this year.

What do you think of Vincent Trocheck so far this season? Let us know in the comments!

Next: Florida Panthers Prospect Report

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