Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

Florida Panthers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 3/21/09. Faceoff battle.

Saturday’s game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets was an action packed contest and looking at pictures from after the game – you can’t help but wonder how the Cats ever managed to lose this game. So many spurned opportunities…

Nonetheless, here are ten action pictures from the game.

Nick Tarnasky drives at net and sets the stage for the first goal.

Rostislav Olesz is first to the free puck in the crease and puts his stick to it - and Florida are up: 1-0!

Board-battles and hussle-tussle hockey.

Richard Zednik makes a wrap-around attempt on Mason who makes the the pad save.

Tomas Vokoun blocks a Columbus shot and keeps the Panthers' slender 1-0 lead intact, throughout the second period.

Getting close...

...gettin' closer (but not close enough).

How can it be so hard to score??

Tomas Vokoun pokes away a Blue Jackets attempt around the net and the defense is close by in support. However, a late collapse by that same defense would spoil the day for the Cats and a 1-0 lead with three minutes remaining is reversed to a 1-3 mishap of giant playoff proportions.

It’s about time the Panthers started to capitalize on a very favorable schedule. All through February up to the deadline they had a terrible schedule; being pitted against all the top teams – while those teams were still motivated to win their games. Yet, it is ironic that when the tide finally turned, so did Florida’s on-ice fortunes – they took a nosedive in the wrong direction…

Since the trade deadline the Cats have been in action 5 times, of which 3 games were against direct playoff rivals, and they only managed to pick up 4 out of a possible 10 points. That’s not only below .500, but worse is that in those three crunch playoff-type-games, Florida picked up 1 out of a possible 6 points. And since losing to direct rivals has a dual effect, not only do we lose two points – but the rivals gain two points, it’s actually more like losing 10 decisive playoff points.

The game versus Tampa Bay on Saturday was actually a step forward in the right direction. There is no doubt that Florida deserved to win that game on effort alone and the team played some 50 solid minutes of hockey before being hit with a double sucker punch in the last seven. And as we know from experience the Panthers need to avoid a shootout at all costs, and when that was unavoidable; so was the defeat.

Of course there can be no sugarcoating; a last gasp collapse as against the Bolts is both inexcusable, but also more importantly, a terrible blow to our collective playoff hopes. It is now the second time in a row that the Cats have collapsed when two goals up entering the third (also against Pittsburgh) and then wound up losing the ensuing shootout.

This ill must be cured and so does the ailing power-play. The Panthers need to start moving more; feet, mind, stick and puck to have any success. Screen the goalie and drive the pucks on goal for deflections or rebounds; it’s really not that hard – it’s just takes a lot of effort!

Getting Bryan McCabe back to the line-up will surely help a lot in this respect and he’s penned in for a performance against the Caps tonight. Question is who’ll be the healthy scratch amongst the back six?

My guess is Nick Boynton, despite him being our – quite possibly – best defender since his return to the line-up three games ago. Having Rostislav Olesz back amid the forwards is also a healthy sign and it was good seeing him being physical against the Lightning on Saturday after such a long time off from hockey due to his hernia surgery. With some more games under his belt, he should be able to help contribute on the top lines if needed. Meanwhile, Nathan Horton won’t be back on this current home stand and it remains uncertain when he’ll be up to playing again.

So, looking ahead at this current home-stand, we face Washington tonight, Toronto on Thursday, Columbus on Saturday and then that vital game versus Carolina next Monday. Then follows a three game road trip to Buffalo, Philadelphia and Dallas – before returning home.

With the playoff race being as tight as it is, I think it’s a fair assessment that the Panthers should need to collect at least 7 point from this current five game home-stand. That means we would need to win 3 out of the next 4 games. That certainly doesn’t seem impossible, but if we lose tonight that will obviously be all the more difficult. Hence, tonight’s game is a very important one for Florida!

Good news is that it’s not only the Cats that have been stumbling of late. Despite only picking up a point over the weekend we still didn’t lose pace with our playoff rivals; although both the Rangers and Penguins picked up W’s on Monday. Washington meanwhile seems to be in a day-to-day based form, losing yesterday in Atlanta, 1-5, after winning their previous three games.

In that fixture, the stellar offensive defenseman Mike Green was out with the flu, Jose Theodore in goal had a torrid game and was hooked after letting in four goals. Rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov got the chance for the remainder of the game and made four saves and let one in. He’s expected to get the nod today in South Florida.

Superstar Alex Ovechkin meanwhile was in search of his 50th goal of the season, but was outshone by Atlanta’s goalie Kari Lehtonen – who made 49 saves – of which 10 were on shots from Ovechkin. Alex was so furious after the game he refused to talk to reporters.

The win was all the more extraordinary for the Thrashers as they did it without their captain Ilya Kovalchuk, who missed his second straight game with an undisclosed upper body injury. Atlanta got a franchise high six consecutive victories with this latest triumph and now make sure a pumped up Capitals team will be coming to South Florida in search of revenge… Gee, thanks Thrashers!

Yet, having beaten the Caps 6-2 on their own home ice in the previous meeting, that was always going to be the case anyway.

The Panthers need only worry about themselves and their own effort. If they play to full ability, with heaps of desperation for measure, there is no reason to believe they can’t beat the Capital team again. It will however, require 60 minutes of hockey and hard work – not 40, 50, 55 or even 59 – 60! – get that Cats?

Prevailing in the playoff race is all about grit, hard work and determination – and the Panthers desperately need to clench those jaws and go for the jugular; to get back in from the chasing pack. Ninth is not good enough, not this year!

A lot of questions were up in the air for the Panthers and its fans, going in to yesterday’s trade deadline. Would Bouwmeester go? What would happen to Boynton after his breach of discipline? Did Keaton Ellerby’s call-up have any greater implications – than being an extra back-up? Would Florida be able to acquire a first line centerman or a top six forward to bolster the offense?

As things turned out, and as I predicted, all was quiet on the deadline front. Well, not completely quiet, because the Cats did make a deal with the Bolts for D Steve Eminger; whilst giving up Noah Welch and a 3rd Round Pick. It was also rumored, and almost seen as a done deal, that Ottawa forward Chris Neil had been acquired by the Panthers. However, no conformation ever came and later it was made known that Chris was staying in Ottawa.

On the home front, Ellerby was promptly sent packing, back to Rochester in the AHL, without getting a game under his belt. Coach Pete DeBoer had a ‘clearing the air’ conversation with D Nick Boynton and the disciplinary issues are now resolved. Rostislav Olesz is set to start training with the team again after his surgery and could be ready to play again in a couple of weeks.

The big news on trade deadline day was however, the no-movement of Jay Bouwmeester. General Manager Jacques Martin had made it clear he would only be moved if the Panthers received something substantial in return to help the team in the playoff race; and clearly that never materialized. There were some heart-in-mouth moments when it looked like Jay might be traded to either Vancouver or Philadelphia, but reports have it they baulked at what the Cats were asking for in return (for what essentially is a rental player).

The biggest fish in the transfer deadline pond was Jay Bouwmeester. He will now stay in South Florida, at least until the summer, and try to get the Panthers over the playoff hump.

So with Bo staying, Boynton back in the fold, and Ellerby sent packing; the surprise move of the day was undoubtedly that the Cats put their fangs in the Tampa Bay Lightning defender Steve Eminger – whilst giving up both D Noah Welch and a high draft pick (3rd Rnd). It sure makes you wonder where exactly Eminger is expected to fit in to the Panthers’ already very solid back six??

Maybe Jassen Cullimore will see less ice time come this spring? Or a policy of rotation among the second and third line of defense will come in to fruition? It will nonetheless be interesting to see what plans Coach DeBoer has for Eminger once he settles in to the team.

Undoubtedly it is great to have depth in the roster when entering the playoff stretch, and Eminger is a more established defender than Welch (who, on a different note, I always thought did a good job when called upon). Head Coach Peter DeBoer also coached Steve in Kitchener in the OHL and knows him well from there.

It resounds as a move of insurance; getting a good seventh D for the playoff race, potential playoffs, and also someone that can step in next year if Bo – and any of the other pending UFA’s on the D leave for pastures new – come summertime. He’s a potential top 4 defender that can eat up crucial ice time and go forward with good puck moving abilities; and those kinds of players sure don’t grow on trees!

This season Steve was a team leading 25 point defenseman in Tampa and has had a bit of a break-out season on the West coast after some slightly unsatisfactory years in the NHL (he was drafted 12th overall in the 2002 draft by Washington). He could also, potentially, aid the Cats faltering power-play; as he brings speed and a right shot in to the equation, perhaps stepping in for Boynton?

Looks overall as a good deal for the Panthers! We address both current issues and future considerations with this trade. The big news however, was that Jay Bouwmeester will stay with the team and hopefully help us finally get over the hump and in to the playoffs.

GM Jacques Martin also said he still retains the hope of convincing Bo to stay at the end of the season. That may very well be a pipe-dream, but overall I think this was good news for the club going forward. The teams positive chemistry remains intact and we get some depth in defense. It’s just a shame we couldn’t get our hands on a top centerman as well…

The Florida Panthers official website has announced that F Rostislav Olesz has undergone a sports hernia surgery. The procedure took place in Philadelphia on the 28th of January. According to Panthers GM Jacques Martin the operation was successful and the player has now returned to South Florida for rehabilitation; which in turn is expected to take at least six weeks.

Rostislav Olesz signed a long term contract before this season, but his time has been hampered by poor form and niggling injuries. He was on the sidelines on IR for an extended period of time; before surgery was deemed necessary.

Olesz played in 23 games earlier this season, scoring two goals and providing 3 assists, whilst going -4 in the plus/minus statistics.

Now that the operation has been touted a success, fans will be hoping Rosti will be back – unhindered by injury – for a run; which might propel the Panthers to a first playoff appearance in several years.