SB Nation - Scott Clemmensen

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Dec 12-14

TibbsBeastoftheEast — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:40:55 -0000

Devils notes: Big night for Niclas Bergfors - (The Bergen Record)
Patrik Elias scores No. 300 in Devils' win - (The Bergen Record)

Panthers' Jacob Markstrom -still- not an option this year

Whale4ever — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:11:05 -0000

Been a lot of local talk about Florida's presumed goaltender-of-the-future Jacob Markstrom, given the ridiculous recent speculation regarding Tomas Vokoun being shopped (too early...too early...too early...). "T-Vo" may indeed be on the block, but a deal anytime prior to a few weeks ahead of the trade deadline will signal a blow-up-the-team approach, which this organization - awash in empty $10 seats - can ill afford. But that's a story for another day.

Playing in Europe, Markstrom rarely gets a whiff of press on this side of the pond, but his presence - and potential - is never far from Panthers fans' minds (though this gem could probably stand to be retired).

The first pick of the second round in 2008 (thanks to our friends in the Tampa-St. Pete metro area; how's Chris Gratton working out for ya?), the 19 year-old has a boatload of international experience, and considering his current numbers on a sub-par Brynas squad (1.99 GAA, .927 Save %) it's difficult to ignore what he may bring to the NHL.

Of course, the league and its history are strewn with the bodies of "can't miss" goaltenders, and Florida is playing it very close to the vest with this one: they speak in hushed tones, never revealing expectations or displaying an arrogance over the "crown jewel" in their system. A Seen Markstrom?-style campaign is definitely not in the cards.

And for the last time: he won't be in a Panthers sweater (or Rochester, or Everblades) until summer at the earliest; in a remarkable display of character seldom witnessed in recent years, he's honoring his existing contract. A Clemmensen-Markstrom duo is not on the horizon in for the remainder of this season.

Up next: Tomas Vokoun, Keith Ballard and the Florida Panthers

FrankD — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:00:22 -0000

More photos » by Alan Diaz - AP

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[SBN Florida Panthers blog - Litterbox Cats]

Tonight the Florida Panthers come to town for the third of four regular season matches against the Penguins. Up until this point the Penguins hold a 2-0 series lead, but the Panthers managed to salvage a point in both of those outings. The first game back on October 23 ended in a 3-2 shootout win. Most recently, on November 23, the referees conspired to put the Penguins on the power play in overtime to ultimately beat the Panthers by the score of - yeah, 3-2.

I'm noticing a trend.

Of course the referees' involvement in Pittsburgh's win is entirely the theory proposed by tin-foil hat wearing Panthers fans who weren't afraid to make the claim after the Pens lit the lamp for the winner. Here's a quick refresher, in case the satisfaction of winning escapes you.

Last night the Panthers ended a four-game skid thanks to a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh's division rival, the New Jersey Devils. One of the best parts about this game, for me at least, was seeing Martin Brodeur lose to his former backup Scott Clemmensen. Last season, while Brodeur was recovering from surgery, Clemmensen posted an impressive 25-13-1 record over 40 games. Once Marty returned, the show was put on hold and eventually Clemmensen's solid season came to an end (along with the rest of the Devils) because Brodeur had trouble handling Carolina in the playoffs.

Oh well.

I suspect Clemmensen got the start last night in an effort to have Tomas Vokoun fresh for tonight's game against the Pens. Vokoun is 0-2-2 over his last five appearances, which also included a little seven day break following Keith Ballard's near decapitation attempt during the Atlanta game on November 30.

Other names you want to keep an eye on: Nathan Horton (8g, 19a), Stephen Weiss (13g, 13a) and Steven Reinprecht (10g, 14a).

12 - that's the number of games Florida has taken past regulation. In OT the Panthers are 1-1. In shootouts, 5-5.

Puck and thread drop at 7:30. Come on by and hang out a bit.

Saturday Caterwaul - Panthers Open Forum

Whale4ever — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:37:34 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

5 days ago: Florida Panthers' Michael Frolik, left, of the Czech Republic, puts the puck into the net for a goal past New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, in Newark, N.J. The Panthers defeated the Devils 4-2. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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That third period pass from Nathan Horton up to a flying Michael Frolik was a thing of remarkable beauty:

Um, the goal was nice too. The Cats dodged a bloody big bullet by holding on for a regulation win against New Jersey on what ostensibly was Martin Brodeur Night.

(Notice the three statements in the above sentence which are almost never, ever employed in unison: "Cats dodged", "holding on", and "regulation win"? Say it ain't so, Randy...)

So what's ahead for Florida as they cruise into balmy Pittsburgh this evening? Was Friday a fluke, engineered by hype over Brodeur's potential for his date with eternity? Has Frolik officially "arrived"? Safely under the radar flew Stephen Weiss, back on the scoresheet with two assists, has shown solid consistency and durability this year; is he finally the centerman fans have clamored for all this time? And do the Panthers really have any chance at all in balmy Pittsburgh?

What's on your mind?

Florida Panthers Played 60 Minutes, Defeated a New Jersey Devils Team Who Did Not, 4-2

John Fischer — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:11:51 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

This is what the Devils fans felt like after the Frolik goal too. Have to do better next time, Devils. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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What did I say in my preview for this game?

The Goal: 60 minutes will get you two points.

Ah, I was proven right tonight. The Florida Panthers played for the whole 60 minutes, the New Jersey Devils did not. There's your summary. Here's a link to the NHL.com recap complete with all your stats. For the Florida take, check out Litter Box Cats where the Panthers fans should be grinning from ear to ear for what they saw tonight. Credit the Panthers, they played far better than what their recent form and team stats indicated. The four game winning streak by the Devils is over, thanks for reading, and good night.

...

OK, OK, I'll put in more of a complete effort - something the home team did not do. Read on for my further thoughts.

Let's start with the highlights of the game, there's plenty to point out here from this NHL.com embedded video:

Let's review:

The first goal against came from a pass (of sorts) to the high slot where Jordan Leopold had the time, space, and position to fire a shot home.
The second and third goals against came from deflections - both by gliding Panthers right in front of Martin Brodeur, first by Michel Frolik and then later by Shawn Mattias. Ultimately, 24 minutes was all it took for the Panthers to score enough to win.
The Devils' goals included one well placed hard shot courtesy of Brian Rolston on a 3-on-2 and one unfortunate deflection by Keith Ballard that gave Dean McAmmond his first goal and Peter R of Silver Seven a reason to go "Whooooooo." So that's one shot off the rush and one fluke.
Michel Frolik snuck behind an aggressive Andy Greene (not that you could have faulted him, the Devils were pressing on offense and had the momentum), received a fantastic outlet pass from Nathan Horton, made one move, and finished it off cleanly.

I don't know about you, but I'd say the first three goals against weren't the fault of Martin Brodeur nor do I think they would have been stopped if Yann Danis had been playing. I'm just saying. I'd also say that Florida scored twice on high quality chances (Leopold and Frolik's second goal) and scored the other two off of being at the right place and with the right deflection (Frolik's first and Mattias).

In contrast, the Devils tried to create those chances, but they failed to do so. They had opportunities. They had plenty of odd man rushes. They attempted many passes across ice to get Scott Clemmensen to do what he's awkward at - lateral movement. Thanks to the Florida defenders playing right on the blueline (and doing well at it), Devils attempted shots from the wings - one went in and many went wide. They attempted longer shots through traffic. And for what? Not much. Especially late in the third period, but I'll devote a whole separate paragraph to that mess.

This yielded more shots than the Panthers, but the Devils wasted a lot of these opportunities. Officially, the Devils had 15 blocked shots, 11 misses - I'd say they were blocked by their own players at least 3 or 4 times in the third period alone, but I'm quibbling. My point is that the Devils weren't accurate or efficient with their shooting and as a result, the

But what bothers me - and most of the fans at the Rock, who were quite lively and loud tonight - was that it took a 3 goal deficit before the Devils decided to turn up the intensity. Honestly, the first period wasn't so bad. Despite Florida trying to use a neutral zone trap (don't say otherwise, I saw 5 in the neutral zone on a few breakouts), the Devils got 9 shots on net and had the better run of play. They looked a bit inconsistent on offense, but with some more hustle and just a little more focus, I thought at the time that the Devils could do what they have done many times and equalize with a 1 goal deficit. That I thought that at all meant that the Devils weren't quite all "there," a bit unfocused.

Then they just fell flat on their faces for the first 5 minutes of the second period, which threw the Devils' chances down the proverbial stairs. Seriously, 60 minutes means 60 - there aren't any 5 minute breaks! Bryce Salvador took a justifiable, if a bit soft, hooking call as Rostislav Olesz tried to pounce on a rebound. The Devils PK struggled to do much and Mike Mottau had no issue allowing Michel Frolik to waltz through the slot. Mottau and White both looked on as the Panthers cycled down low and as Mattias went to the net, where he was rewarded with a goal. In general, Mottau and White struggled throughout points in the game; but the Devils in general didn't look like a team that was ready to play. The first period may have felt a little sleepy, but the beginning of the second period looked Florida was just practicing out there. Terrible and the Devils ultimately didn't recover from this.

I don't want to think that the Devils needed a 3 goal deficit to "wake up," but that's what happened. Rolston gave the team a lifeline, the Devils upped their offensive aggression to give Scott Clemmensen some serious work to do, but what shouldn't be ignored was how well Florida was performing. They were calm in their own end in breaking up passes, making passes out of the zone, and getting the puck in deep on offense and put a few on Brodeur. The Panthers ended up outshooting the Devils 13-11 in that period, despite Rolston pulling a lot of momentum back in New Jersey's way with his goal and despite two Devils power plays (which looked OK, but the Devils were shooting better after them, for some reason).

The Panthers then sat back a bit after Frolik's goal. After all, the Devils were down by 2, the defense was pretty solid for Florida, so the Panthers didn't have to be so aggressive on the attack. Here, the defense only made one mistake and that was critical - Andy Greene got caught on the point with Frolik well behind him. Horton's pass to him was perfect and the then 3-2 game quickly became a 4-2 deficit.

The game also became nightmare as the Devils just got worse and worse going forward. If there was a way the Devils could screw up a pass or a shot, they found it in the next 17 minutes or so. Here's an extended sample of what was seen at the Rock: Miscommunications, firing shots directly into a Panther or a Devil, flinging shots wide when the right thing to do was to put it on Clemmensen, passes hitting skates where they should have been on the stick, giveaways on long outlet passes on the breakout, Devil forwards attempting to skate through 2 or 3 Panthers, odd man rushes consistently leading with passes instead of shots so Clemmensen and the Panthers defenders knew how to read them, rebounds and loose pucks caught in between skates, and easy dumps to the corner. Did Florida press hard to attack? No, and they didn't need to with the way the Devils offense was going. The passing and shooting was garbage in the third period, and that's especially bad since both aspects needed improvement for the Devils to truly have a shot at coming back from 2 down.

Who on the Devils looked good? Well, would you believe it would be the fourth line of Rod Pelley, Dean McAmmond, and Ilkka Pikkarainen? Pikkarainen had an assist, 4 shots, and had 2 official hits; Pelley had 2 shots and 3 big official hits and by my estimate 7 actual big hits; and McAmmond got a goal. They were hustling and hitting; they were the most consistent. Brian Rolston somehow managed 6 shots on net and a goal, but somehow only got 14:38 of ice time.

Well, Lemaire wanted the top forwards out there and, well, they didn't have a good night, really. Zach Parise had an excellent scoring chance late in the second, but overall only managed 3 shots in 20:27 (missed 1, blocked twice), while he showed a lot of spirit, it didn't translate to good puck movement. Travis Zajac didn't have a good game - 1 shot, 3 blocked, 2 missed, and 6 for 15 at faceoffs in 19:22 of work. They are both very talented, but they weren't effective tonight. In retrospect, I'd like to think Lemaire would have given more time to Elias and Rolston if only because, hey, they got a goal in the game.

Nevertheless, the Devils simply didn't play a complete game and that was the source of the loss. Their passing was progressively miserable, their shooting was wasteful, and they weren't focused in those first 25 minutes which allowed Florida to dig a big enough hole for the Devils to sit in. The Panthers played a complete game and succeeded to the surprise of no one. Good for them, bad for the team we support.

After a few wins with not-so-great performances (Buffalo excepted), the Devils put out a not-so-great performance and lost. Honestly, I'd rather have the win; but such as it is. While we can dwell on it, the Devils can't as they have Philadelphia coming tomorrow. Thanks for reading and leave your comments and complaints about tonight's game in the comments.

Frolik, Clemmensen propel Panthers over Devils; no record yet for Brodeur

Whale4ever — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 02:39:18 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

5 days ago: Florida Panthers' Stephen Weiss, left, of Germany, checks New Jersey Devils' Johnny Oduya, of Sweden, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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On a night tailor-made for a longstanding record to fall, the Florida Panthers slammed the door on any such thoughts for a home crowd thirsty to get the hype behind behind them.

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was denied his 104th shutout on defenseman Jordan Leopold's fourth of the year with a beautiful read, blasting the puck past an astonished New Jersey club at 3:53 of the first period. For all the times Florida keeps fans guessing, tonight was a happy exception.

Shots ended up 28 to 22 in the Devils' favor, but Michael Frolik's two goals - the second a spectacular one-on-none against Brodeur - proved to be the difference. The guy was determined and displaying the effort we've seen repeatedly but seldom witnessed a payoff. Frolik also led the Panthers with seven shots on goal.

Shawn Matthias scored his second of the season as Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss climbed back on to the train with two assists each.

Dean McAmmond and Brian Rolston scored for New Jersey.

Scott Clemmensen was imperfect but more than solid in net for the Cats; it was quite obvious where his heart resided on this night, downing a club which many claimed slighted him late in 2009.

More to come tomorrow...and keep in mind the Cats are headlining in Pittsburgh Saturday against Craig Adams, Brent Johnson, and the rest of the Penguins. Open thread goes live at 6pm.

Game 30 Preview: New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers - 12/11/2009

John Fischer — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:00:16 -0000

by Rich Schultz - AP

The Devils have plenty to smile about, having won their last 4 games. But can they put together a solid 60 minute effort to beat Florida tonight? (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

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The Time: 7 PM EST

The Broadcasting Info: TV: MSG+ (IN HD); Radio: 660 AM WFAN

The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (21-7-1) vs. the Florida Panthers (11-14-6)

The Last Devils Game: The Devils started off well enough; but then for some inexplicable reason, the Devils let up on their defending, allowing the Canes to build momentum. Ultimately, they pulled within one from being down as most as 3-0, but the Devils held on to win 3-2. As I stated in my recap, it wasn't a great win, but it is a win.

The Last Panthers Game: Not much went right for the Panthers on Wednesday. The Columbus Blue Jackets hosted the Panthers and just torched them 3-0. As Whale4Ever noted today, the team is now 1-5-4, missed a chance to gain ground in the Southeast Division, and has a goal differential of -8 in their last 4 games.

The Last Devils-Panthers Game: So long ago, the Devils were a team that was 1-2 and had no regulation wins in the season. Then the Devils visited the Florida Panthers. It wasn't perfect. Mistakes were made by the Devils. But the power play converted twice, with David Clarkson scoring that all-important go-ahead goal with a tip late in the game. I recapped the Devils' first regulation win here; for the Florida side, DolPhanDave noted how frustrating the loss was for the Panthers faithful.

The Goal: 60 minutes will get you two points. This is actually a good goal for both teams. It's a bit odd to say that the goal for a team that has won four straight (the Devils) is the same for a team that has one win in their last ten games (the Panthers). However, the Devils haven't put in a good, solid, consistent performance in those four wins except for the win at Buffalo on Monday; and the Panthers just fell flat in losing to Columbus 3-0. Both teams should strive to put out a hard-working, smart effort and - this is especially crucial for the Devils - not let up until the game is truly out of doubt. And, no, being up by 2 goals after the first or second period doesn't count - especially considering the Devils have won games despite being down two goals. It may be a cliche, but that doesn't mean it is irrelevant.

For a Florida take, check out Litter Box Cats (a.k.a. The Litter Box) later on. Read on for my further thoughts.

I'm not going to delve further in what I want to see from the Devils tonight outside what I said for the goal. It's as plain as I'd like it to be - a full-game effort. That means not letting up on defense, not holding back on offense, and not allowing Florida to outwork the Devils.

With respect to the Devils' lineup, the only real question should be whether the starting goaltender will be Martin Brodeur or Yann Danis. None of the reports from either Chere or Gulitti call out who will be in net tonight. Jacques Lemaire was asked, and here's his response per Gulitti:

Martin Brodeur has started the last eight games and played in 15 consecutive games. Devils coach Jacques Lemaire was vague when asked about when he might start Danis next.

"One day he’ll play. He will play," Lemaire said. "I’m looking at when Marty could be tired. This is what I’m looking at. If Marty gets a lot of shots, a lot of work and we’ve been playing quite a bit, he’s got to rest."

I personally think Danis should get this game if only so Martin Brodeur can focus fully on Philadelphia. After all, if 4 games in 6 days isn't enough of a workload in a week, then I really question where else Danis would be likely to play. And I don't see Brodeur not starting against a rival. That said, it's been some time since Brodeur even saw 30 shots in a game, so I don't think playing him would be overworking him either. I'm interpreting Lemaire's quote that Brodeur isn't necessarily tired so don't be too surprised if you see #30 starting in net at the Rock tonight.

With respect to the rest of the lineup, well, I don't think it'll change. Per that same article from Gulitti, Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond is back from a conditioning stint, but I doubt he'll be in tonight since the team has played so well. How well? Per Chere, the Devils have had their best start in franchise history. Considering all the injured Devils that were out and continue to be out, that is a massive accomplishment. So the lineup for Florida should remain what we have seen against Carolina, complete with Vladimir Zharkov and Jamie Langenbrunner swapping right wing spots. Here's my guess:

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Nicklas Bergfors
Brian Rolston - Patrik Elias - Vladimir Zharkov
Jay Pandolfo - Rob Niedermayer - Jamie Langenbrunner
Rod Pelley - Dean McAmmond - Ilkka Pikkarainen

Andy Greene - Bryce Salvador
Colin White - Mike Mottau
Mark Fraser - Johnny Oduya

Yann Danis
Martin Brodeur

Thanks to Litter Box Cats, it's been revealed by the official site that Scott Clemmensen will be starting for Florida tonight. He should get a warm reception before the fans openly and vocally hope he is shelled by pucks over and over. I would hope the Devils offense really gives Clemmensen plenty of work; his current statline suggests the Devils would find plenty of success that way:

	GP	MIN	W	L	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Scott Clemmensen	9	434	4	3	29	4.01	242	213	.880	0

The Florida Panthers have been in dire straits with only 4 goals scored in their last 4 games and giving up 12 in the same time frame. Statistically, the team numbers are awful for Florida. They are tied with Nashville for the fifth lowest goals scored per game average of 2.48. They currently have the fourth highest goals against per game average of 3.28. The Panthers average 28.6 shots per game (25th in the NHL) while allowing the most shots against per game in the NHL with 35.1. Their special teams are particularly weak: the Panthers' power play has been weak at 15.2% (27th in the NHL) and the Panthers' penalty kill has the second lowest success rate in the NHL at 76.4%.

Of course, Carolina had similarly awful team stats as well and that didn't mean much on Wednesday night. Still, these numbers should clue you in to how bad the Panthers have been. With respect to scoring threats, the Panthers have three notable forwards the Devils' defense should be aware of:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	GWG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Nathan Horton	31	8	17	25	2	28	4	1	65	12.3
2009 - Stephen Weiss	31	13	11	24	-5	8	4	0	69	18.8
2009 - Steven Reinprecht	31	10	13	23	5	4	1	1	56	17.9

The production by Florida players drop off after these three (Bryan McCabe is fourth on the team with 3 goals and 12 assists) They will likely carry Florida's offense and so the Devils should be particularly aware when they're on the ice.

Of course, if the Devils play solid and smart hockey for the full 60 minutes, then they should be able to do just that. Should the Devils let up in one particular aspect, the opposition will take advantage - be it the Carolina Hurricanes, the Panthers, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Washington Capitals, whoever - and make the Devils pay for it. It nearly happened in the last two home games, I hope it doesn't happen again tonight.

Check out Litter Box Cats for their take on tonight's game. Check up on Chere and Gulitti for any gameday updates, such as who will be starting for the Devils in net. I'll throw up a GameThread prior to the game. Please leave all your thoughts, concerns, and any tales of news about tonight's game in the comments in the meantime. Go Devils!

Game 30 Preview: Jackets face Panthers in Columbus

Mike MacLean — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:56:59 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

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The Jackets have had some time-three full days in fact-to regoup and, as I've said here many times before, right the ship. The team is coming off of two bad losses to the Leafs and Avalanche, two teams the Jackets need to beat. Tonight the Panthers come to town, and this being an out-of-conference matchup it is important to pick up these points. The Jackets have historically played well against the East, and that needs to continue this evening.

Dorsett makes his return to the lineup tonight-the team has missed his energy and forechecking badly. He brings a spark to the team that was obviously missing while he was out with a concussion. This is Murray's second game of the season, and I look for him to have a strong game. The lines have been adjusted quite significantly outside of the top line, with Umby sliding back to center with Jake and Chimmer. Chimmer has been playing very well lately, and I'm hopeful he can build on that given the chance to play with some skilled linemates.

Mase returns to the net, he simply must focus on the game and avoid letting in bad goals. The defense as a whole needs to continue to impove, and if the team continues to avoid playing the style the coaching staff is preaching, the ugly losses will continue to mount. If a team tries to play a skill game, without having the necessary skill to back it up, that's when you can kiss the season good-bye.

The Panthers have some skilled forwards and a decent defense, not to mention Vokoun is a fantastic goaltender. This will be a tough matchup, but one the Jackets can defeat. As far as I'm concerned, this is a must-win. In fact, you can say that about all of the games remaining this month. If they can go on a decent winning streak, they are right back in it.

Fearless Prediction: Victory?

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Litter Box Cats

Game Page: Panthers vs Blue Jackets Coverage

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Rule of thumb: He who forechecks, wins. The Blue Jackets have struggled against speedy forechecks this season, and they haven't established much of one lately, either. All that's left for the Panthers from three blockbuster trades (Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen and Jay Bouwmeester) are defensemen Keith Ballard, Jordan Leopold and Bryan Allen.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Jason Chimera	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Andrew Murray	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Raffi Torres	Derick Brassard	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Marc Methot
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Anton Stralman

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: Mike Blunden, Mathieu Roy, Derek MacKenzie

INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Rostislav Klesla

Florida Panthers

Steven Reinprecht	Stephen Weiss	Nathan Horton
Rostislav Olesz	Dominc Moore	Michael Frolik
Shawn Matthias	Jeff Taffe	Radek Dvorak
Victor Oreskovich	Kamil Kreps	Mike Duco

Bryan McCabe	Keith Ballard
Jordan Leopold	Dennis Seidenberg
Bryan Allen	Dmitry Kulikov

Tomas Vokoun

Scott Clemmensen

Florida Panthers week in review

Whale4ever — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:04:29 -0000

Panthers fans will find a new addition to the concourse level Saturday at BankAtlantic Center.

Been a busy five days for the Cats since the first puck dropped at Philips Arena Monday. A quickie recap before tonight's action between the Southeast division rivals faceoff in Sunrise:

Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk is foiled in his initial shot on a breakaway, but regains a dead rebound and scores the Thrashers' second goal of the game, paving the way for Keith Ballard's infamous Paul Bunyan-style chop to the head of goaltender Tomas Vokoun. Despite the first of Stephen Weiss' heroics for the week (1g, 1a), ex-Buffalo fan favorite Maxim Afinogenov inserts a knife deep into the heart of reliever Scott Clemmensen and the Panthers with 5.5 seconds remaining in the third period, producing a 4-3 final score in favor of the home club. Vokoun? Briefly hospitalized. Ballard? Stunned. Florida fans? Dumbfounded by yet another strange fork in the road. Panthers are now winless in five.

Back in Sunrise Wednesday against the Avalanche, and the Cats somehow found creative and unique ways to smash four 2-goal leads...of their own (one of those in the final minute of regulation...of course). Craig Anderson, returning to South Florida for the first time since signing with Colorado over the summer, was his plucky self throughout, going goal-for-goal with Clemmensen. Enter overtime, add an end-to-end rush by - who else? - Ballard, a collision ensues, Adam Foote declares war on on the Florida defenseman. Andy's hurt, in comes Peter Budaj, and the ease with which it seems possible to imagine the green goalie getting a win without facing a single shot becomes quite natural; it's that kind of week. Stephen Weiss, he of three goals on the evening, enters the shootout in the fifth round, netting the game winner. A victory for sure, though one that feels strangely hollow. Winless streak over.

Thursday in Washington for a third shot at the Capitals - minus suspended Alex Ovechkin. No matter; anarchy ensues among the visitors after several minutes of close play. Spunky recent callup (and rookie) Alexander Salak replaces a quickly-yanked Clemmensen; nothing changes but the lead, which stretches to a formidable six goals. Another Alex, this time of the Semin variety, has four points before Bryan Allen and Weiss (with his fifth regulation-goal in three games) change the score but not the outcome. It was the classic "clinic" game by the home club, leaving the Cats dazed and defeated. Mike Duco ended his evening with 17 minutes in penalties: an instigator, fighting major, game misconduct, and aggressor calls. When's the last time we saw an "aggressor" penalty? Salak - whom the loss should not realistically fall upon - was quickly sent back to Rochester.

And here we are. Never boring around these parts.

Game Thread goes live at 5pm.

Poll

What to do?

Thursday Caterwaul - Open Forum

Whale4ever — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:26:26 -0000

More photos » by J Pat Carter - AP

14 days ago: Colorado Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj misses Florida Panthers' Stephen Weiss game winning goal during the shoot out in NHL hockey game in Sunrise, Fla. Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. The Panthers won 6-5. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

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Need some subjects to get started?

Colorado's Adam Foote ("Captain Courage") pummeling Keith Ballard after a momentum-induced collision knocked Craig Anderson from last night's game. Feel free to get in on this one, Columbus fans.
What would the backlash have been - if any - had the Cats lost that game, either in regulation or overtime periods (thereby going winless in six)?
Who starts for Florida tonight: Scott Clemmensen or Alexander Salak?

Cats at Caps Live Open Thread at 5pm...

Poll

SB Nation - Scott Clemmensen

New Jersey Devils Morning News, Dec 12-14

Panthers' Jacob Markstrom -still- not an option this year

Up next: Tomas Vokoun, Keith Ballard and the Florida Panthers

Saturday Caterwaul - Panthers Open Forum

Florida Panthers Played 60 Minutes, Defeated a New Jersey Devils Team Who Did Not, 4-2

Frolik, Clemmensen propel Panthers over Devils; no record yet for Brodeur

Game 30 Preview: New Jersey Devils vs. Florida Panthers - 12/11/2009

Game 30 Preview: Jackets face Panthers in Columbus

Florida Panthers week in review

What to do?

Thursday Caterwaul - Open Forum

Ballard on Anderson: accident or malacious intent?