SB Nation - Radek Dvorak

Frolik exorcises Panthers' third-period demons, nets winner over Thrashers

Whale4ever — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:30:23 -0000

1 day ago: Atlanta Thrashers goalie Johan Hedberg (1) is unable to stop the puck scored by Florida Panthers' Stephen Weiss in the first period of an NHL hockey game as Dominic Moore (19) and Ron Hainsey (6) look on in Sunrise, Fla., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

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A 3-1 lead carried into the third. A 3-1 lead blown in the third. Slava Kozlov scores at 6:27 of the final frame to wipe away any memory of Stephen Weiss, Radek Dvorak, and Bryan McCabe's efforts earlier in the evening.

Again, fans could smell it...another dominant game set to fall short after forty minutes. The expected became a most unexpected surprise as the Cats kept their heads. The result? First regulation win in Sunrise since November 4th. Home win number five. Five.

Let that sink in as you prep for the holidays among the crowds in mid-December.

Michael Frolik banged home his 10th of the year at the 18:39 mark, ultimately sealing the victory for Florida (though Atlanta hung on, hung on, hung on until the very end). The Thrashers have surprised, shocked, and impressed the league of late; tonight was no different after Ilya Kovalchuk and Nik Antropov paved the way for Kozlov's stunner.

The payoff? Two points gained. Period. For the first time in recent memory, the Panthers gave up nothing to their opponent at the BankAtlantic Center. Peter DeBoer instilled focus. Believe it.

For the curious: Nathan Horton had two assists.

Tomas Vokoun walled 20 shots as Atlanta's Johan Hedberg stopped 25 in a game which played out as a bit on the wilder shores of defensive responsibility for both clubs.

Florida's Bryan McCabe led the game with - get this - 8 shots on goal. If you can find a Panthers defenseman who topped that since the lockout ended, I'll owe you a Coke.

More to come in the a.m as we prep for a weekend of Jim Rutherford Deathwatch madness...

Panthers in Christmas video?

Whale4ever — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:10:36 -0000

See if you can spot Rhino and Soup (it's rather easy) among a plethora of other high profile NHLers in this new video from Diana and Alyonka Larionov (daughters of former Red Wing Igor) benefitting Hockey Fights Cancer.

Thanks, Puck Daddy.

Horton (4 points), Panthers nuke Islanders 7-1

Whale4ever — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:46:16 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Kmonicek - AP

3 days ago: Florida Panthers' Nathan Horton (16),hits the puck past New York Islanders' goalie Dwayne Roloson for his second goal of the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

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Final - 12.14.2009	1	2	3	Total
Florida Panthers	1	2	4	7
New York Islanders	0	1	0	1

Complete Coverage >

Huge night on the scoresheet for Nathan Horton (3g, 1a) as the Cats roll at Nassau Coliseum. Eleven Panthers gained at least a point, while Tomas Vokoun stopped 30 shots to gain the win.

More to come in a bit, but enjoy the highlights; been a long time coming...

Panthers forwards: is this it?

Whale4ever — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:16:29 -0000

A quick peek at the NHL Stats Page is all a Cats fan requires to sink into a further funk, even on the heels of a well-executed game in Pittsburgh Saturday night. Of course, the result was all too familiar...

Individually, some Panthers are finally producing what's been expected of them for some time: as has been widely reported, forwards Stephen Weiss and Nathan Horton - whipping boys of the highest order in Sunrise - have 20 and 19 points in the same number of games played, respectively. Who among the faithful are anything less than giddy over what these two have done to reverse their sagging fortunes? There are a lot of beaming Fantasy Hockey owners who gambled in their drafts...and won big.

Beyond those two, the year has been an offensive washout: Michael Frolik's two goals on Friday (his first since November 30th) give him nine on the season. Much-heralded "second-line center" (the organization's words) Steven Reinprecht has scored once in twelve games. Radek Dvorak (who has indeed wratcheted up the intensity this season) hasn't seen the back of a net in nine.

Who else among the forwards have any true offensive expectations on the shoulders? Rostislav Olesz and his 14 points? Teased year after year, we know better. Gregory Campbell or Kamil Kreps, who are a combined -13? "Suitcase" Shawn Matthias? Or perhaps faceoff whizz Dominic Moore, who - by no fault of his own - has an unfortunate habit of getting hurt. A lot.

"But Whale! But Whale! What of David Booth and Cory Stillman? Where would the Cats be with them in the lineup?"

Undoubtedly leading the Eastern Conference in every major category.

What's it matter? They're not here now and probably won't be for some time. Based upon the little we've heard through the Panthers grapevine, it's entirely conceivable Booth won't return at all this season. Concussions tend to be nasty and unpredictable, and this one - his first - is no different. At least we know whom to hate when the postseason fires up.

Stillman is shooting for a late-December rollout, but realistically let's guess mid-January. I love and miss Stiller's hustle, leadership, and contributions as much as the next fan, but if you're hanging Florida's playoff fortunes on the return of a winger who celebrates his 36th birthday in a week, I've got some ProSet hockey cards from 1992 up for sale that are due to explode in value soon. Soon.

What to do, what to do?

Thursday Caterwaul - Open Forum

Whale4ever — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:10:19 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

8 days ago: Columbus Blue Jackets' Steve Mason, right, makes a save against Florida Panthers' Steven Reinprecht during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets defeated the Panthers 3-0. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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Allow me to cheer ya'll up: The Panthers lost 3-0 on Wednesday evening, bringing their record over the past ten games to 1-5-4. Everyone else in the division lost as well, making it the perfect night to gain some ground, especially against a previously-reeling Columbus squad. Shots were tied at the end of the game at 32, and leader-by-example Radek Dvorak, who played his 1,000th NHL game Monday, led the club with four SOG. Not Rostislav Olesz, not Steven Reinprecht, not Nathan Horton.

The shutout loss counts toward a grand total of 4 goals-for and 12 goals-against in their last four. Have a nice day!

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

Post-game with Radek Dvorak

Whale4ever — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:56:47 -0000

DolPhanDave caught up with the Panthers forward following the conclusion of his 1,000th game.

Oilers vs. Stars, 12/5/09 - Studley Wonderbomb vs. Real Deal

Derek Zona — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:57:05 -0000

via sportslogos.net

SBNation's Oilers vs Stars game page

Defending Big D

Dallas, home of the self-admitted fair-weather fans.

Dallas desperately needs Blue-Line offense. Edmonton should rebuild. Souray to Dallas?

Matt Niskanen is having difficulties. Perhaps the young blueliner could use a change of scenery, like Edmonton.

Tom Hicks' financial situation continues to hamper the Stars.

The Dallas Stars Ice Girls page. Raise your hand if rather than Khabibulin, you'd like to have Meagan in goal.

Watch for Brendon Morrow and Ethan Moreau to take penalties, but not draw them.

We'll always have Devo. Perhaps Robert Nilsson can corkscrew a Stars defender tonight as an homage to Dvorak.

Always remember the real Stars.

Dallas Stars Injuries

No Injuries.

Poll

Minnesota North Stars or Dallas Stars?

Panthers delaminate, fall to Maple Leafs 6-4

Whale4ever — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:29:03 -0000

More photos » by Rick Silva - AP

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The second of rookie defenseman Dmitry Kulikov's two goals. A big night on the scoreboard for the 19 year-old ends in depressing fashion as Florida drops leads and momentum; the Cats continue to struggle mightily at home.

Pension Plan Puppets * Leafs at Cats GameDay Central * Boxscore

Ugly. Sickening. Disgusting. And that was just the crowd.

An announced attendance of 16,101 - on a Friday evening, with an abundance of $10 tickets (among other incentives) available, and the Toronto Maple Leafs as a ferociously strong drawing card considering the snowbirds have arrived in SoFla - was rather unimpressive. Downright embarrassing.

Folks who stayed away missed dual items of importance: the first two-goal game of Dmitry Kulikov's career, and the Panthers' collective inability to hold a lead finally bite them in the standings.

An eight-game point-streak was snapped - hard - while divisional opponents Atlanta and Tampa Bay advanced to a three-point lead over the Cats.

Leafs' coach Ron Wilson simply wove magic out of his troops, coaxing Phil Kessel and former Panther Niklas Hagman into two goals apiece, a four-point performance from Alex Ponikarovsky, and a less than awe-inspiring yet good enough to seal the deal 26 saves from Jonas Gustavsson.

Peter DeBoer's boys couldn't conform to Toronto's adjustments, despite Dennis Seidenberg's two assists, Radek Dvorak's splendid hustle (1g on 5 shots), and Tomas Vokoun's 27 saves.

This was a classic Florida meltdown, and it could be felt long before the Panthers lost their two-goal lead. Just a bizarre night on many counts.

The real entertainment came at the 11:12 mark of the first period, when Colton Orr and Steve MacIntyre decided to exchange phone numbers:

What more can be said other than someone's got to take the fall for a game the Panthers had no right - statistically - to lose?

Anyway, back at it tonight against the Predators. Which begs a question: Why did Scott Clemmensen not get the nod last night, freeing up Vokoun to start against his former club?

Rangers, Parenteau smack Panthers 2-1 in SO; Vokoun stops 27

Whale4ever — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:25:05 -0000

Final - 11.25.2009	1	2	3	OT	SO	Total
New York Rangers	0	1	0	0	1	2
Florida Panthers	0	0	1	0	0	1

Complete Coverage >

Shots Here and Shots There don't equate to Shots On Goal, as the Cats learned quickly on an evening where seemingly every attempt made at the Rangers' net went decidedly elsewhere.

Tomas Vokoun continued his exceptional play, stopping 27 shots while Radek Dvorak - not necessarily a name you'd look for in leading a club to victory - was all over the ice, during even-strength and penalty-killing minutes alike. His team-leading 4 shots and 19:57 TOI only add to his resume. But he can't do it alone, as was proven by the full-moon madness of Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss, neither unable to bowl for dollars when it counted.

Dominic Moore, diminutive though he may be, banged in his second goal of the season late in the third period to tie the game at one and save the opportunity to gain a point in the standings. An earlier goal by the Rangers' Marian Gaborik was now effectively negated. Until Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau became the only scorer in the post-post-regulation period, anyway.

New York's Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves, but it was the shots missed that told the story, regardless of the outcome. Oh yeah, he also plugged Reinprecht, Horton, and Weiss in the shootout. There's that.

Give them this: the Panthers made it interesting. And later is preferable to never. It wasn't two points, but sure beats the tar out of zero.

Lots to come tomorrow, including What the Panthers are Thankful For. Be there, and have a great remainder of the evening.