How Not to be Marooned
The New York Islanders know how it feels. To be left all alone, stranded, in the backwaters of the league. Florida remains a peninsula and will hope to not get dragged back down in to the fringes again. This as the Panthers fell behind early this season after a barren spell of six consecutive losses. Then came the unexpected turnaround. Several wins later, and Cats everywhere were dreaming of the playoffs, while opening gifts from Santa over the Christmas holiday. Across the state Tampa Bay Lightning wished for some success this winter and ‘Claus duly delivered. Two wins against the Panthers and the road toward Stanley seemed precariously slippery for the Cats.
Centennial Canadiens then took over the Panther Sunrise and the hat tricks came out. A Maxim Lapierre third period later and Florida players looked despondent. Even post-match comments from Coach DeBoer seemed downcast. To be expected, but, one would also expect a loud rallying call from within the troops. Rather, disheartening noises are seeping out from the Panther dressing room:
"We’re not a very talented team. So for us to be successful, we have to play a full game. It’s not rocket science. We’ve just got some guys that are playing their hearts out and some guys that aren’t." Nick Boynton said after the Canadien loss, as quoted from Sun-Sentinel.
"I don’t think there’s any doubt they [Montreal] were the better, faster, more skilled team" Pete DeBoer said, quoted from the Florida Panthers website.
"We need[ed] a save. We had some pressure down in their end and they come down and score a goal. It’s not a great goal to give up at that point in the game. I think Andy knows that." Again DeBoer quoted from the Panther website.
Some soul searching may be essential after these three games, but the team must surely unite around each other at times like these, not wave the blaming finger. These moans of criticism could both be seen as healthy dissatisfaction with poor performances, or more disturbingly, as perilous grumblings risking unrest if they continue. But, there is fortunately a potent toxic on the horizon: To again savor the taste of a Panther kill. Next on the Cats menu; the New York Islanders.
Overconfidence within the Florida camp should no longer be an issue after the recent games. Underestimation of the Islanders could still be, however. Seemingly anchored to the bottom of the league, speculation ripe with trade rumors, the Islanders are in some turbulent waters at the moment. Yet, the Tampa games should have taught the Panthers a valuable lesson; there are no bad teams or easy games in this season’s NHL. The message to the Cats must be clear; apply the painful lessons learned and stage a comeback tonight; or risk losing all that has been gained up until this point.
In other Panther news a couple of roster and injury reserve changes has been announced:
Kamil Kreps remains out with upper body injury (suffered Dec 27 against Tampa), requiring the Panthers to recall Shawn Matthias from the Rochester Americans. Cory Murphy returns from long injury layoff and is sent to Rochester for a 14 day conditioning stint. Rostislav Olesz is back in training, but is not expected to feature in the upcoming road trip. Coach DeBoer is still mulling over which goaltender to use for the Islander game, seeing as neither has impressed since the holidays.
