Lomberg is back
The engine starts to rev.
Ryan “Lonbergiani” Lomberg, a member of the team that won last year’s Stanley Cup, will return to the Amerant Bank Arena as a visitor as the Panthers greet the flames on Saturday.
Over four seasons with the Panthers, the fast-paced physical forward notched 49 points (28 goals, 21 assists) in 246 games, accumulating 327 penalties over that span.
With a pay raise, Lomberg signed a two-year contract with Calgary this summer.
A warm welcome is expected for other former champions this season.
“It’s great to share that with Ryan and his fans because he had a connection there and certainly had a connection with our team,” Maurice said. “You can enjoy it. These guys all play on different teams, but you still feel they belong to you. They’re part of that collective memory that never changes. I’m happy he can share it with the fans.”
Dressed in a suit in eight games during the run to the Cup last year, Romberg returned to the lineup in the final, appearing in Edmonton’s Game 7 victory.
Before that cup-crowded game, he famously said, “We will live together after this.”
Looking back, Romberg’s attitude and speed were key to the team’s success.
“What we were really looking for in that game 7 was a player that wasn’t mentally tentative. “At that point, Kyle (Okposo) was really moving on the ice, but they were heavy too. They finish all the checks. We wanted to bring players there to establish our game in the first 10 minutes, and he was the majority of that.”
To be there for a Lomberg return, click here to view your ticket.
Tkachuk Update
According to Maurice, the superstar forward will continue to be evaluated before making an official update.
“He’s not playing on the weekend so there’s no need to hurry right now,” Maurice said Thursday.
This season, Tkachuk has 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) and 54 penalties in 52 games.
With offensive tears heading into the 4 Nations showdown, the 27-year-old ignited the ramp with six straight wins, scoring 16 points (8 goals, eight assists) in his previous 16 games.
Stay tuned at Floridapanthers.com for more updates on Tkachuk’s status.
*Jameson Olive contributed to this article
