Looking Up and Beyond the Horizon
Tomorrow the Panthers will face off in the Nassau Coliseum against a resurgent NY Islanders. The home team has recorded two straight victories, the last one a 5-4 road win against the Atlanta Thrashers, and will look to extend this belated resurrection – from the seemingly dead – by repeating the December 31st 4-2 defeat of Florida.
The Cats on the other hand have started the post-All Star break on a high note; defeating both Philadelphia (3-2) and Montréal (5-1) at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. Going back on the road, two – on the face of it – easier match-ups await them. First in New York versus the NY Islanders on Saturday and then at the Air Canada Centre versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Both teams appear to have little to play for as their hopes of challenging for a playoff berth, has all but eroded from beneath their feet.
Question is: Which team will make it three in a row; Islanders or Panthers?
Despite what the standings might outwardly tell us, regarding how to answer this question, fact is the Panthers usually struggle when playing against teams below them in the standings. Obviously this is a mental approach that must be corrected for tomorrow’s game. Islanders aren’t any pushovers yet and have more quality than one might expect from a team buried in the lower echelons of the table.
Tomorrow the Panthers have the chance of tying a franchise record by collecting 19 points in the month of January alone. But statistics aside, the most important aspect of the game is that the Cats have the chance to collect another precious two points. And two points are two points; whoever the opposition happens to be on the other side, and that’s the approach Florida players need to have – together with a strong work ethic every single night.
Meanwhile Panthers Head Coach Peter DeBoer has commented on Florida’s website about the playoff race that his team is now deeply embroiled in, whilst currently occupying that invaluable last eighth spot:
“Let’s not worry about the teams beneath us and the teams we’re battling with. Let’s look at the teams above us and hunt some of them down. And I think that’s the attitude we have to take in the second half; not to hold onto eighth and make the playoffs but we want to close the gap on some people ahead of us.” [Quotes from the Panthers website]
You have to like the ambition and unwavering winning mindset that DeBoer brings with him to Florida. It has probably, together with the considerably beefed up defense, been the major reason behind the current Panther success. The players have obviously bought in to his concepts and seem to believe in their own abilities on a collective level too. And if the Cats continue to play, as they’ve started after the All Star break, why shouldn’t they look up at the teams currently ahead them in the standings and think “we can catch them!”
The transformation in attitude in the Panthers camp since Pete DeBoers arrival has been astonishing. But the work is not yet done. We need to keep stoking the fire and winning games; especially these matches against teams below us in the standings. Lassitude has no place in a playoff race – no matter which team it is we meet – we need those points!
And that’s the bottom line when it comes to league success – consistency – and without league success there will be no playoffs in Florida this year either. Alas, now is the time to overcome those demons and exude the same levels of determination and work rate as seen clearly against the Flyers and Canadiens; when now facing the likes of NY Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs.
