The magic of Knight-time ended for the Florida Panthers when they dropped a 6-0 decision to the Calgary Flames at the Saddledome.
It was the first loss ever for the Panthers with former Okotoks Junior A Oiler Corban Knight in their line-up – and unfortunately for the Holy Trinity Academy grad, it had to happen in front of friends and family.
“It’s just a coincidence,” Knight said with a laugh about the streak starting with his first game as a Panther. “It’s been a lot of fun obviously being in a winning dressing room – winning solves a lot of issues and it’s been a blast.
“We’ve got a great bunch of guys here and I’ve really enjoyed it so far.”
Knight was called up on Dec. 15 at which point they rattled off a franchise-record 12 consecutive victories, all of them with the High River native in the line-up (he was a healthy scratch for a 3-2 loss to Vancouver Canucks on Monday).
Florida is in first place in the Atlantic division with a 26-13-5 record. Knight has two goals and four assists this season.
The Panthers’ streak with Knight ended to the team that the 25-year-old centre made his NHL debut with on March 5, 2014, the Flames. Knight, who ironically was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth-round of the 2009 NHL entry draft and later signed with Calgary in 2013, was traded back to the ‘Cats last January.
He put up eight goals and 16 assists in 36 games with Florida’s AHL affiliate San Antonio Rampage last season. This season, he had a goal and an assist in three games with the AHL Portland Pirates before getting the call-up to Florida.
“I was excited and it was a great surprise,” Knight said of the call-up.
He admitted to being a bit star-struck the first-time he met the Panther Jaromir Jagr, the fourth leading goal scorer of all-time with 737 goals. The 43-year-old Jagr — who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins the same year Knight was born, 1990 — is Florida’s leading scorer this season with 32 points as of Wednesday. Knight was on the ice with the someday first-ballot hall-of-famer during Wednesday’s game at the Dome.
“It’s incredible, he’s a legend and growing up I watched him and he just dominated,” Knight said. “Meeting him and being on the same team is quite the honour. He treats everyone the same. You would never know he is one of the greatest of all time the way he handles himself and talks with teammates.
“The first time I met him, I kind of mumbled something out. I don’t think I said any words. I was kind of nervous.”
He’s getting over the nerves and the sting of being dealt by the NHL club close to his Foothills-area roots.
“You look at this team (Florida) and they have a lot of the pieces right now,” Knight said. “All of the guys are buying in to their roles. There’s some exciting times ahead, I’m just glad to be part of it… Looking back, I think the trade (to Florida) is a big moment in my career. I’m really happy where I am now.”
He would have loved to have seen a different outcome for his supporters at the ‘Dome on Wednesday.
“It was fun, obviously coming close to home you see a lot of friend and family. I would have wished for a better result,” Knight said. “I still have a lot of friends on the Flames and I enjoyed the time I had here.”
Knight, who centred a line between Derek McKenzie and Shawn Thornton, had a scoring chance in the first period that bounced off Flames goalie Jonas Hiller’s pad. He won three of five face-offs.
He admits playing hockey in the sunny Miami area takes some getting used to.
“It’s different, you go to the rink and it feels like a summer day,” Knight said. “In Calgary, you come to the rink and everybody loves hockey.
“But I think sometimes people here don’t get a clear picture. There are a lot of fans of the Panthers and they have been showing it lately.”
Still, he was glad to forget about the beach and spend some time with family in High River on Tuesday.
“I was able to go home and spend some time with my family,” Knight said. “It was nice.”
The 13 games with the Panthers’ is the longest stint the 2009 Alberta Junior Hockey League rookie of the year has spent with an NHL club in one season.
He’d love to be an east-coast snowbird and stay in Florida well into spring.
“Things are going well right now, but you never know,” he said. “I have to make sure I try to get better every day and try to cement a spot in this lineup.
“I want to be a part of it going down the stretch.”
