Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

To be honest I doubted we’d be here – with three games left and having a, not great, but good shot at the playoffs – yet here we are and tonight is one of those nights where things could essentially, although not mathematically, be decided.

Deciding – it would almost certainly be if the Panthers lost and the NY Rangers beat Montreal in the ‘Garden’. However, if we win – we’re still in it. But what a game to win! Away to Philadelphia… One of the toughest, literally, home teams in the league. Yes, we beat them there on March 26th, so its definitely possible, but will lightning really strike twice?

As this the final week began yesterday, some good news came to Florida’s aid as Montreal dropped a 2-1 lead and lost at home to Ottawa 2-3, in no small part thanks to Dany Heatley; who scored twice to turn the game on its head. The Habs looked all but set to claim a playoff berth, but with injuries to key defenders Andrei Markov and Mathieu Schneider, their powerplay has fallen like a house of cards (having previously scored 50% of the teams goals in its recent resurgence). Considering this, despite having a three point advantage on both Rangers and Panthers, the Canadiens have every right to be worried and looking over their collective shoulders.

Another piece of good Floridian news, was that Buffalo also lost at home. Perhaps more of an expected defeat as they hosted the Detroit Red Wings; who have won 16 out of the last 18 games versus the Sabres. No change to that woeful statistic as the Wings came away with a 4-1 win on the night. Detroit seemed to be in a constant powerplay as they utilized an unusual tactic by placing a player in front of goalie Ryan Miller at all times when attacking – whether 5on5 or on the powerplay. Odd, but effective it seemed as the Sabres scrambled for an answer to the unwanted offensive presence of Detroit’s power-forwards on the edge of the crease.

So, with Buffalo effectively out of the race, it’s now a three horse sprint. Florida competes with the NY Rangers and the limping, yet leading, Montreal Canadiens. It should be a thrilling rush of emotion and hockey desperation down this stretch!

And in the playoff chasing, last week of regular season, possibly no night will be of more importance than tonight.

Montreal travel to New York for a crucial head-to-head battle with the Rangers. Panthers’ fans will be hoping that this contest will finish a two point game and not a three point affair. But, whoever comes out on-top of that fight; Florida still need to take care of their own business – first and foremost. A point will be of absolute necessity, and most likely – unless Rangers lose – nothing but a victory will suffice in such a tight race. Not an easy task, but it should be enough motivation for the Cats to bring their A-game to the rink.

Shame only that the game isn’t aired on local television… but for those that have NHL Center Ice – at least you’ll have an exciting game to look forward to….

Lastly, a little note about the Florida Panthers being in the limelight as of late.

Our plight and search for some post-season action has not gone unnoticed around the hockey world. I’ve seen several articles – ranging from Canada to Sweden – that focus on the Panthers and our hunt for a playoff spot. Most articles focus on our nine years on the outside looking in, the inconsistency of the teams’ play this year and coach DeBoer’s optimistic statements that the club will make the playoffs. Meanwhile, Keith Ballard’s hipmongous-check of Evgeni Malkin is catching headlines and burning up at YouTube (see it below in previous post!)

The Panthers have become a bit of the “forgotten team” outside of South Florida, heck, even in South Florida; and suddenly people are realizing we have a hockey team here – that actually has a chance of achieving something. And more than one eyebrow is being raised, both on this and the opposite side of the North Atlantic, let me tell you!

Nonetheless, the undertone is still a bit condescending and it seems few really believe we have what it takes. With our record, one can’t help but being a bit skeptic too. We the fans, know better than any outsiders ever will, the constant crushed hopes and disillusionment that goes with the package of being a Panthers fan; and probably none is more skeptic of our chances than we, right?

Anyway, at the end of the day, all we can do is hope for a miracle – that somehow we’ll make the post-season. And tonight I’ll be holding my thumbs for a victory in Philly. Oh how sweet that would be….

Just when one thought it was over, the Panthers go and win their next three games and bring back that never ending flame of hope. Not sure if that’s a tune sung in an all-out positive note or not; after all – false hope we’ve had plenty of already…

Nonetheless, the Cats are a mere point behind Montreal, who won yesterday versus Chicago and have a game in hand, and two to the rear of the NY Rangers. With the Canadiens back to winning ways and with a favorable schedule, perhaps our biggest hope is that the Rangers will falter. They have a tough stretch of games that include Carolina next and Philadelphia in the last two games of the season. I bet the Flyers would love to upset the applecart of the Rangers!

For Florida the schedule looks good, only the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia games look like potential losses. Win one of those, the two against Atlanta, and then the last regular season game at home versus already playoff bound Washington… Doesn’t sound all that impossible after all!

Yet, it will require slip-ups from either Montreal or the Rangers for this scenario to pan out. If we’re really unlucky we could win our five remaining matches and still not make the playoffs. But then again, that’s the price you pay when you lack consistency; it becomes a scramble for points this time of year and a lot of scoreboard watching…

Yesterday the Panthers were clearly up for the fight (which certainly isn’t always the case against lower end opposition) and had a good command of the timorous Senators from the get-go. No goals in the first and tied at 1, at the end of the second, then came that timely highsticking four minute penalty from the visiting stick.

It is always a definite help to have a powerplay at the end of periods when players are already tired. Florida took full advantage and scored not one but two goals; 5on4. So the Panthers’ ailing powerplay got a shot in the arm and so did the confidence of the hometown players.

The Cats got a cushion in the third with the 4-1 goal and relaxed somewhat. Perhaps too much as the Senators fought back, a bit belatedly, and had some pressure in the Florida zone; scoring one.

Michael Frolik put a definite end to the contest when slotting home an empty netter in the dying minutes and put a little gloss to the 5-2 scoreline. It was his 20th goal of the season, a great mark for a rookie to hit! This kid has a big upside and could develop into a star of this league in the future; he certainly has the right mentality and bags of potential to go with it…

It will be interesting to follow his continued progress at this level and what will happen in the next few seasons. Whether we make the playoffs or not there are some positives to take in to the following season: Including the continued development of David Booth and Gregory Campbell, the solidity of the defensive core (if we can re-sign some of those pending free agents) and veteran leadership provided by Bryan McCabe and Cory Stillman. Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss also look like they might be able to go one better next season, while Tomas Vokoun has been unfairly targeted, but he remains a very solid goaltender.

Michael Frolik is gratulated after scoring against the Rangers in February. He scored his 20th of the season against Ottawa and it looks like he'll have a bright future in the league.

Nevertheless, the best way to get player to mature and gain experience is to get the team in to the playoffs; that would provide a real boost of confidence and know-how that is virtually invaluable to the progress of a hockey player. Fingers crossed, but we need to make that post-season!

For now, whatever happens, we can look forward to another week of thrilling – playoff chasin’ – hockey and, well, a glimmer of hope I guess!!

After having, temporarily, been hooked off from the playoff race; the Panthers are right back in the mix again. Beating Toronto, to sweep that series for the first time in franchise history, 3 goals to 1, the Cats could also count on crucial help from GM Jacques Martin’s former club in Ottawa. The Senators, who beat Buffalo in their last game, handed another defeat to the drunk-punch Montréal centennial celebrators. Ottawa won 5-4 and handed Florida another lifeline.

The Florida Panthers remain in ninth, but are now a mere point behind both Carolina and Montréal, whilst trailing Rangers two. The Cats have the same amount of games remaining as the NY Rangers and Canadiens, but one in hand on the Hurricanes. To add to the equation is that the Panthers will play both Carolina (Monday) and Buffalo (Wednesday) in crunch games that could very well decide the playoff fate of Florida. The Sabres are now four points to our rear, but have one game in hand on us – and could still get back in to the chase from their current jettisoned position in tenth.

Last night’s home fixture against the Maple Leafs was, despite what coach Peter DeBoer may have claimed to the contrary, a must win game. Lose that match and they would effectively have lost sight of the other teams ahead of them. That did however not happen and Florida swept away the visiting Ontarians once again. It was the Toronto native Stephen Weiss that, once more, proved to be the vital difference between the two sides.

Stephen Weiss is having a record point year and has developed into a key player for the Panthers, especially against his native Toronto. He has 8 points in 4 games against the Maple Leafs.

The Panthers started slowly, but when Radek Dvorak was erroneously put in the box for holding; the Cats woke up with a vengeance. None more so than Weiss, who took the puck past the Toronto defense with a speed and guile – that left the Maple Leafs defenders sprawling on the ice. He finished off the move with a backhand in the top corner behind the unaided goalie Martin Gerber.

The visitors came back at the end of the period however and punished Richard Zednik further for an undisciplined high sticking retaliation – to a clean hit from Jason Blake. Mikhail Grobovski was left all alone between three Panther players in the deep slot area (however that is possible!?) and made no mistake; ushering in the tying goal, just two minutes before the break.

Florida came out flying in the second period and looked determined to take the game to the visitors. And that they did. Richard Zednik made amends for his lapse in judgment in the first period and slotted home the leading goal, 6:21 in to the period. He displayed the coolness of a clinical goalscorer and found a tiny passage beneath Gerber – and the puck obliged him by merrily trickling in over the line.

The home side now had their tails up and 1:27 after Zednik’s goal, Radek Dvorak danced around scrambling defensemen to feed Ville Peltonen, who meanwhile had camped out just to the left of the crease, and Ville unperturbedly collected the puck with his skate, stickhandled his way past a dizzied Jeff Finger and somehow found a hole by the post to beautifully slot home the 3-1 goal. Martin Gerber couldn’t have been happy to let that goal in and after that he played much better and didn’t let any more pucks pass him by.

Tomas Vokoun on the other end had a quietly solid game, not letting up any rebounds and making some big saves in the third when the Maple Leafs pressed forward. Overall this was a well performed game by the Panthers, but in truth, this was also a game you would expect them to win. Toronto is in the midst of experimenting with youngsters and rebuilding for next year. If Florida couldn’t win this game, let’s face it, they would have no right to claim a playoff berth in the first place.

Nonetheless, it was a crucial victory and hopefully one that finally instills some sense of calm and confidence in to the squad. Yet, we are still on the outside looking in and there are no let-ups. The games will be coming increasingly hard and frequently at the players and they need to be, or get themselves in-to, playoff mode – already. The stretch will be a tough one for all teams involved in this race and any slip-up could ultimately come back to haunt the clubs at end of regular season.

Next for the Panthers is a rare visit by the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow. Columbus is equally in a playoff chase, but find themselves in a very enviable position at the moment. This because they have been playing some very good hockey of late and it looks increasingly like the Blue Jackets will be making a first playoff appearance in franchise history this spring.

It will in other words be a tricky game for the Panthers, but we have done well against Western opposition so far and hopefully that can continue on Saturday. It should be a good game anyway!