1/22/16: Another Gear
Last night, the Florida Panthers got back to their winning ways in dominant fashion with a 4–0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Fresh off of a loss in Tampa Bay to end their own 12 game win streak, the Blackhawks were looking to rebound versus the slumping Cats. Losers of 4 straight games, things haven’t been clicking for Florida as of late and this game was looking to be just another L. However, by using their 3 days of rest to get in some needed practice, the Panthers were able to, “shed some bad habits,” according to Shawn Thornton, and come out looking like a brand new team. Behind the aggressive start, the Cats were able to control the tempo of the game and ultimately grab another all-important 2 points. We also got a chance to check out the Gudbranson train (Video: Fox Sports Florida).
Game Notes
1. Scoring First
The first period of last night’s game was arguably one of the best of the season. By coming out of the tunnel with aggression, the Panthers were able to get 6 shots on net before giving up the first look on Luongo. Keeping up that momentum, it wouldn’t be long before the Cats scored. At 10:19, Jokinen hit Smith down the left wing to setup a top shelf snipe to go up 1–0. Scoring first is one of the most important things a team can do — the Panthers are 22–3–3 when doing so. That’s unbelievable. Also to note, the Panthers didn’t score first in 3 out of the 4 loses since the streak. If we are to continue our dominance of the division, scoring first and early in tonight’s matchup against Tampa Bay is critically important.
2. Lou Playing On His Head
A playoff caliber team requires goaltending, and in our case, the Panthers are being led by the efforts of future hall of famer, Roberto Luongo (not to mention the incredible performances by backup Al “The Big Cubano" Montoya). With 27 saves, Lu earned his 4th shutout of the season and 72th of his career to take him into 11th all-time amongst NHL goaltenders. On a team that at times struggles to earn goals, having a backstop that can help achieve 2nd overall in goals against average (2.21) is a massive advantage. If we can keep our duo healthy for the second half, we’ll have a great chance to make the playoffs, for the first time since '11-’12, and make a serious run.
3. Crazy Legs On The PK
I can’t say enough about Derek Mackenzie (Crazy Legs according to his teammates). He is the dictionary definition of an NHL “Grinder”. If you were to make an All-NHL PK team, he would be it’s starting center. While Mac may not be the most offensively minded player, I’ve never seen anyone be so aggressive and, more importantly, successful on the PK. Also, during his regular shifts, you’ll see him causing all sorts of pandemonium in the offensive zone on the forecheck. I consider the move for MacKenzie to be one of the best made by Tallon last season. He is the reason behind our successful PK which is currently 8th overall (83%). Even though he won’t be leading Panthers’ jersey sales anytime soon, it’s easy to see why he was a fan favorite in Columbus and continues to be so here in South Florida.
Tonight’s game is going to be a special one. I’m excited to be in attendance for this HUGE matchup. We are currently leading the division by only 3 points over the 2nd place TBL. A regulation win would help to solidify the lead and maintain momentum into the All-Star break. Echoing back to last week’s loss in Tampa only 7 days ago, you can be sure that tonight’s sellout (hopefully) will be a game to remember.