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Tuesday 08 February, 2011

Panthers' Ellerby using size to his advantage

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Andrei Kostitsyn learned just how tough Keaton Ellerby is last Wednesday night.

Ellerby, the Florida Panthers' first-round draft choice in 2007, consistently uses his large frame (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) to his advantage, also it was no different at

the Bell Centre last week when Ellerby laid a thunderous hit on the Montreal Canadiens' winger.

With just over four minutes residing in the first period, Ellerby caught Kostitsyn with his head down across the boards in the Panthers' zone and knocked

aforementioned to the ice. As the Canadiens went on to win the game by a 3-2 score, there's little doubt Kostitsyn will be more cautious the next time Montreal faces

Florida.

Ellerby has picked up his offensive game these days, as he entered Tuesday's action with points in three of his last five games. In 26 games this year, the Strathmore,

Alberta native has a goal, six assists and a plus-4 rating nhl hockey jerseys wholsale.

The 22-year-old is a component of a single of the youngest defensive pairings in the League, as Panthers coach Peter DeBoer has elected to have Ellerby skate with 20-

year-old Dmitry Kulikov. So far, cheap hockey jerseys the coach likes what he sees.

"We really like the two of these together ¡ look in their age," DeBoer said. "We're throwing them to a lot of situations and giving them a lot of responsibility.

They're handling it. That's a good sign."

Ellerby has split time this coming year between Florida and AHL Rochester, where he'd a goal and two assists in 14 games. Could possibly chance he'll be returned

towards the minors once Bryan McCabe returns from injury, for now, Ellerby is relishing every moment.

He also hopes his coach won't vary the defensive pairings.

"I think we have been playing good together," Ellerby said. "Hopefully that continues so the coaches keep us together for cheap authentic jerseys a long time."

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