The Approaching Storm
If only one were to dream for a moment…
…imagine Mats Sundin skating into the Bank Atlantic Center, with his sheer size and wall of experience taking on the challenge of leading the Panthers toward the long awaited playoff picture. Leading the club in to what is normally considered post season for Panther fans. He would be the perfect leader; the robust and rousing center forward Florida craves. The leader who could teach the promising Panther cubs (Frolik, Matthias etc) how to play.
But, this is of course a pipe dream and Sundin looks set to sign for either the NY Rangers or Vancouver sooner rather than later. Panther fans would however hope he decides to go to the other side of the Canadian border. His record against the Panthers is devastating and (unless he suits up in a Panthers jersey) the less we see of him the better of course. This especially since we’ve recently gained the upper hand on the Rangers.
Vancouver was the destination for the Florida Panthers this last weekend; winding down from an impressive Canadian road trip. Unfortunately the momentum was broken and the Panthers declawed. Now it is of utmost importance to re-establish the winning mentality when visiting the Canes tonight.
Not only are they fierce rivals and competition for that elusive playoff spot, but frankly, the Panthers need to break the Hurricane curse. 14 out of the 15 last games in Carolina have ended in the hosts celebrating victory. With stats like that it will always be an uphill battle to make the playoffs. While the Panthers have enjoyed some successes of late, the Hurricanes have gone through some turbulence. Peter Laviolette was replaced by his predecessor Paul Maurice and a resurgent Carolina have started to find their Hockey feet; beating Montreal 3-2 on Tuesday.
With these two teams desperate to win, all seems to be set for a real firecracker tonight! To come out on top is of utmost importance to both teams and subsequently one team will risk losing momentum and perhaps also that essential ingredient; confidence. With Vokoun expected to start the game and some top liners returning – the Panthers have no excuses. This is a real test and one they must pass. Players need to realize the importance of this game and come flying out of the blocks. The playoff race begins in earnest today…
…and if again we were to dream for just a moment; imagine the Panthers taking control of the game from the first faceoff and then using all that frustration from seasons past to fight down the approaching storm. Remerge in triumph and glimpse at the horizon; the sun rising over the state of Florida Hockey.
Anything is possible if you can dream it and Panthers fans have for far too long been required to be dreamers; now is time for the club to wake up and realize its potential.
