Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

With the upcoming Florida schedule brimming with top-opposition, this was a game the Panthers needed to win: Especially after losing that tight game to the Capitals on Sunday.

New Jersey entered the Bank Atlantic Center full of confidence after beating the best teams in the league over the weekend (Boston and San Jose) and winning 13 of their last 15 games. The Cats meanwhile have played fantastically well since the New Year, but the stats didn’t favor them going in to this game nonetheless. However, games aren’t won on statistics alone and the Panthers stepped on to the ice with purpose and determination written all over their collective faces.

Getting a good start is essential when playing the Devils and Florida got that crucial break when a Bryan McCabe shot was spilled by Scott Clemmensen and Stephen Weiss found himself with the puck in possession in front of the goalmouth. Clemmensen cheated slightly to his right and Weiss coolly slotted it home to his left. 1-0 after 4.18 of the first period and the Cats got that influential opener that would allow them some space to maneuver in; whilst NJ was forced forward.

Tomas Vokoun now came to the fore with some wonderful saves to keep the fragile lead intact. New Jersey poured on the pressure, as the first period progressed, but Vokoun was staunch in his rearguard action. No puck was out of his control on the night it seemed and would soon be proved with a brilliant shutout. Tomas appears to be in the form of his life and as long as he plays this way, and has the stout defense to back him up, it’s hard to see anyone scoring on him (although Ovechkin did prove it is possible, after all).

It was a good all-round contest from both teams with plenty of chances and nice offensive plays. It can clearly be seen that the two coaches not only know each other well, but also have a similar hockey-philosophy and preferred style of play. Panthers were pressed at times but held their own and in the end it was only the crossbar that prevented Keith Ballard from doubling Florida’s lead – mere seconds before the first interval.

The game was won in the second period when, half way through, the Cats capitalized on a rare power-play advantage. A shot from Michael Frolik fell to David Booth who, under immense pressure in front of the crease, managed to steer the puck to Richard Zednik; whom in turn was left alone by the goalpost and was presented with an open net to effortlessly stuff the puck in to.

A couple of minutes later Richard Zednik found himself with the puck behind the goal, waited patiently for the right set up, and then flicked the puck behind his back and in to the crowded slot. Nathan Horton had meanwhile held back and now skated in to take the Zednik pass, put it on the blade of his stick and with a swift movement flick it in at the far corner – well out of Clemmensen’s considerable reach.

The Florida Panthers were three goals up with only twenty-five minutes to go, but the Devils – to their credit – never gave up and continued to press forward in search of what could have been a releasing goal on another day. Tomas Vokoun and his able defense however had other plans and had their eyes set on the prize of a shutout. 10 saves in the third period later (36 saves in all) and a Cory Stillman goal from a marvelous Stephen Weiss assist to effectively punctuate the game – Vokoun had his well deserved shutout and left the contest with another first star.

Whilst one can’t say too much about Tomas Vokoun’s performances of late, and in this game in particular, it should nonetheless be noted that this was a complete team effort from the Cats. Everyone was top of their game and pulled their own weight in their respective roles. Special mentioning, as always, goes to Karlis Skrastins and his solid defensive work and painstaking blocks. Jay Bouwmeester and Keith Ballard have been equally impressive in the defensive toil; it seems they’ve been asked to do focus on their defensive duties in these games against the best teams of the NHL and they’ve done it very assertively.

Among the forwards, one must mention the first two lines with rising respect: Booth – Horton – Zednik, and, Stillman – Weiss – Frolik. And what is truly impressive is that these two top lines have been not only producing when going forward, but have displayed some real grit and played compact hockey defensively as well (characteristics we are already well acquainted with from the third and fourth lines – night in and night out). Each of those players have upped their individual games of late and has started to find the net on a more regular basis.

That the lines have been kept intact in many consecutive games now has probably helped the players a lot in this respect. Chemistry is developing and the lines are started in play their notes more in sync with each other, feeling increasingly comfortable in their roles within the team.

Nonetheless, while this was a very important win, fact is that all games now are crucial. And there is no let up in the schedule either. Next follows a rejuvenated Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow and then the league pacesetters Boston Bruins come to town on Saturday. Yet, if the Panthers play like they did yesterday, against the hottest team in the NHL, there is no reason to believe we can’t pick up important points against these top-notch teams as well!

So this is how fifth heaven looks like?

(Hey, if there is a seventh tier there must be a fifth – if logic were to prevail, right?)

We the southernmost hockey-fans in the land have not been spoiled rotten with hockey success, rather starved and left wanting, and so we will take all the more in pleasure in this triumph against our perennial rivals…

5-0! Say it again: Florida = a high flying five; Carolina = none, zip, zilch, zero, nil, nought, nothing – null and void *leave empty space here* not even one – shutout in their own house!!!!! Taste it, savor the flavor of sweet victory; and in Carolina nonetheless… If all Hurricanes were as friendly as the one we met in Raleigh yesterday… By all means, take me for a spin around the North Carolinian wilderness anytime – blow me away!

OK… exhale – take a few deep breaths – a moment of sanity is needed to recollect just how this stunning victory came about in the first place…

The game started in an open fashion with both teams circling around one-another looking for an opening. The Panthers were the first to find a gap in the first period as a joint two-way forecheck by Horton and Booth presented the puck to Ballard, who confidently stepped in from the slot, feigned the slapshot and fed the puck to Horton – who in turn was presented with an alluringly amount of empty net to aim at – and he made no mistake.

That was, believe it or not, the winning goal – after a mere 7 ½ minutes played of the game…

Minutes later a similar forechecking move by the same line presented Richard Zednik, stepping in un-marked from the line, with an excellent opportunity to give Florida a 2-0 lead. Cam Ward made the first save on Zednik’s shot, but Richard got the puck right back to him and jammed in home on the second time trying. Both goals were a real testament to coach Pete DeBoer’s tactics and how they can yield results if the forwards keep playing aggressively in the opponent’s zone; maintain high pressure on the defenders and in-so-doing create turnovers around the boards.

Yet, this was no walk-over. Carolina stood their ground well and over the course of the game had no less than 42 shots on goal. Several of those were qualified chances and a couple were open netters. The difference between the teams was first and foremost the goaltending.

Cam Ward was replaced by Michael Leighton half way through the contest after letting in four goals on thirteen shots. This while Tomas Vokoun continued his outstanding form by fending off any and every shot directed at him with poise and composure. He never looked rattled and the defenders were always there to dispose of any loose pucks around the crease. A special mentioning in that respect must go to Karlis Skrastins, who acts as the proverbial broom; sweeping up goal-bound shots and rebounds – as if he’s somehow magnetic and all pucks want nothing else then to come to the Latvian iron-man.

What really punctured Carolina and any lingering hopes of a comeback was however Anthony Stewart. He’s been playing with so much energy of late that you just couldn’t help but think a puck must finally bounce his way – and in goal. This, at long last, happened in the second period as two Carolina players collided; presenting Stewart with an open pond to skate in to – and to everyone’s collective surprise he scored a beautifully cheeky goal in Ward’s considerably wide five-hole. And you just knew that when Anthony scores it’s one of those days of Midas when everything you touch turns in to gold – and in this case – goals.

Prior to Stewart’s three-nothing goal, the Hurricanes had had a couple of power-play opportunities and were swirling around Vokoun’s net in search for a way back. The goal therefore came at a very opportune moment and you could see the Carolina players literally fold after Anthony’s rare moment of glory. The mental collapse was quickly exposed as the Panthers scored again – barely 12 seconds later. It was suitably the CPR line that put the game to bed after Gregory Campbell scored in rapid succession of Stewart’s deflating goal. A despondent Cam Ward was now withdrawn from the game in favor of back-up Michael Leighton.

Further gloss to the scoreline came only minutes later as Michael Frolik, who has been going through a dry spell of late, pounced on a ricochet from a rapid Kamil Kreps strike, which hit the cross-bar and bounced straight to Michael. Frolik had his stick on the ice and reacted quickly to put the puck away behind Leighton in goal.

After this 5-0 goal it was merely a question of waiting for the game to end for both teams. Carolina were frustrated and no one more than Eric Staal who took a couple of stupid penalties in the third. However, by this point any lingering hopes the home team may have had earlier in the game, of getting a share of the spoils, were long gone anyway.

While Vokoun was the obvious match-winner with his shutout, this was truly a team victory for the Panthers. The defenders ably dealt with any rebounds and kept the Hurricanes forwards at bay. The Florida forwards meanwhile, had a lot of success with its aggressive forecheck and especially the first line of Booth – Horton – Zednik showed how it can be used to full effect in those first two goals. The fourth line has been playing very well and with a lot of energy for quite some time now and has finally started to get rewarded for all that hard work. Frolik got out of his recent slump with a goal and the CPR-line (Peltonen – Campbell – Dvorak) can always be counted on; both for defensive solidity and forward production. The penalty kill was also of the highest order yet again.

If the Florida Panthers can keep their focus and play the way they did yesterday; making the playoffs doesn’t look all that intimidating anymore. However, it’s important we stay a bit grounded nonetheless – a very tough schedule is coming up with no less than 9 (!) consecutive games against teams currently above us in the standings. It will be a stern test of the Cats resolve coming up; starting later today with a home tie with the New York Rangers.

It’s dangerous to speculate or look forward too much, but imagine if we can beat the Rangers tonight… That would take us to within one point of NY – currently in fifth spot of the Eastern Conference. Now isn’t that a remarkable change of fortunes for a team that was dead last in the league just a couple of months ago!

It does put in to perspective just what head coach Pete DeBoer has actually managed to do with, what on paper looks like, a rather modest set of players and inherent skill within the squad. Yet, we can’t let up now. The Panthers need to dig even deeper to get through this upcoming set of games victoriously. And now it’s truly time for the people of South Florida to start rallying behind this club: The players are working their hearts out, but will need that seventh player more than ever as we enter a very tricky six game home stretch, starting today.

We can all make a difference and sound our support to the players on the ice doing the deeds. It’s time all South Floridians woke up and took notice of the heroics being done here; got in to the action laded thrills and spills of hockey and once again embraced the Panthers.

I for one will be at the Bank Atlantic Center tonight, cheering for the Cats in thick and thin: Where will you be?