Sunday night's Panthers loss to the Anaheim Ducks, combined with the Jets 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche has put the Jets over the Capitals and one point short of Florida for the division lead. The top three teams in the Southeast Division are now each one point apart from the next team down, with the Lightning not far behind. This tight seeding along with the tightness between seventh and tenth place in the Eastern Conference has made leading the division paramount for Southeast teams.

As of this morning, the Panthers still lead the division by one point. The Capitals can tie that points lead tonight, but the Panthers would still hold the division lead on the games played tiebreaker. The price for entry to the playoffs in the Eastern Conference appears to be about 92 to 94 points. While the division leader would get in no matter how few points they hold, none of these teams can count on none of the others hitting at least 92. The real question is: what records do these teams need down the stretch to lead the division?

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 27-19-11 (65PTS)
Anaheim: 24-24-10 (58PTS)
Game Time: 6:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Prime
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers lost another two games in a row this week, one to the Washington Capitals, but the story of the day is not the Capitals' loss yesterday preserving the Cats' two point lead. Today will be game 613 for Stephen Weiss, tying him for the franchise lead with Radek Dvorak. The Panthers have not done particularly well in milestone games the last few years, but one hopes they can put together a better three periods than they did against the Capitals on Friday night. The Ducks will be a tough opponent. After a slow start, they've come to life under new coach Bruce Boudreau, hired 72 hours after he was dismissed by the Capitals. The Capitals have yet to right the ship, while the Ducks, at the bottom of the league early in the season, are pushing towards a playoff spot that was thought all but unattainable. The Panthers haven't been very good in their few games against Anaheim, but goaltender Jose Theodore, who's spent some time in the Western Conference, has been respectable against them. Defenseman Brian Campbell has 21 points in 28 games against the Ducks, including three goals.

More from our Anaheim cohorts at Anaheim Calling & Battle of California.
Ducks vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 27-18-11 (65PTS)
Washington: 28-23-5 (61PTS)
Season Series: 2-2-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Comcast SportsNet
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers hold the Southeast Division lead by four points as the second place Washington Capitals make their final visit to Sunrise this season. The Panthers are third in the Eastern Conference by virtue of leading the division, while the Capitals are sitting in ninth place, one place out of a playoff spot and three points behind the eighth-place Toronto Maple Leafs. The Panthers need a win tonight to keep their distance from the Capitals while the Capitals need the win not only to catch up to the Leafs and Panthers, but to stay ahead of the Winnipeg Jets, who are one point back in tenth place. The teams have split the games this season, with Tomas Vokoun getting two shutout wins in Washington and Scott Clemmensen picking up two wins in Sunrise. The Panthers will need a better effort than they showed in the second period against Ottawa on Wednesday night if they want to extend their division lead.

More from our Washington cohorts at Japers' Rink.
Capitals vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 27-17-11 (65PTS)
Ottawa: 29-22-8 (66PTS)
Season Series: 0-1-1
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: None
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Ottawa Senators visit South Florida for the first time this season. The Panthers are coming in hot off back-to-back wins in New Jersey and Long Island last weekend, while the Sens shut out the Lightning 4-0 last night in Tampa. The Senators have more or less owned the Panthers the last few years, but the Cats really need to get past them to keep putting some distance between themselves and the Capitals. Tonight's game will not be televised because it's in the national blackout zone. Usually when a Canadian team is playing, the game is still broadcast in Canada, but that will not be the case this evening. Randy Moller will have the game call on WQAM tonight, and even without a television feed, we'll be chatting in the game thread tonight at the usual time.

More from our Ottawa cohorts at Silver Seven.
Senators vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 26-17-11 (63PTS)
New York Islanders: 23-23-8 (54PTS)
Season Series: 2-0-0
Game Time: 3:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, MSG Plus
Radio: 640 WFTL

The Panthers make their second afternoon start of the weekend on Long Island today. The Cats' win yesterday gave them a two point lead over the Capitals in the Southeast Division. Both teams have 28 games remaining. The Panthers' point total is also good enough for a playoff berth on its own again, though they would be the eighth seed if not leading the division. The team has the chance to increase that lead today against the Islanders, who are in a three-way tie for twelfth place with Tampa Bay and Buffalo. Washington plays the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 12:30. The Rangers are 1-1 against the Capitals this season. Both games were in DC. The Panthers need to show some killer instinct and win today's game, even if it is the second of back to backs. There may be as many as three players in the game who didn't play yesterday, which may help the Cats some. One of those three is starting goaltender Jose Theodore, who has missed a ton of games in 2012, but who appears ready to return.

More from our New York Islanders cohorts at Lighthouse Hockey.
Panthers vs Islanders coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 25-17-11 (61PTS)
New Jersey: 31-19-4 (66PTS)
Season Series: 1-1-1
Game Time: 1:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, MSG Plus 2
Radio: 640 WFTL

This afternoon is the last game of the season against Pete DeBoer's New Jersey Devils. The Panthers won the first matchup and have lost the last two. The Panthers reclaimed first in the Southeast Division by virtue of a game on hand on the Capitals, but they need to string some wins together to lock the division lead. The Cats have a good chance to pick up points this weekend. The Devils have been good, but the Panthers have, for the most part, played well against them this season. While Patrik Elias complained about losing to a "one line" team early in the season, the second and third lines are now scoring, with the second line of Sean Bergenheim, Marcel Goc and Mikael Samuelsson in particular having a few good games in the last couple of weeks. The early start in particular means the Panthers have to be better at the beginning of the first period than they have been. If they can play a good first five, they have a good chance to win this one.

More from our New Jersey cohorts at In Lou We Trust.
Panthers vs Devils coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

If it wasn't for a late breakdown in the neutral zone by the first line, Scott Clemmensen would likely have picked up his second shutout of the season. As it was, the Panthers played a solid if unspectacular game and picked up a much needed win. They started the night one point behind the Capitals for first in the Southeast Division and two points behind eighth-place Senators in the Eastern Conference, but ended the evening in third thanks to the Caps, who blew a two-goal lead late to lose in a shootout to the Winnipeg Jets.

The Panthers started out solidly enough in the first, but then took two offensive zone penalties. They limited the Kings to three shots on the two power plays, but were outshot 8-5 at even strength. They came back much stronger in the second period, limiting the Kings to three shots over the period. The Kings limited the Panthers to six, but they scored on two of them. After the Panthers scored two goals on eleven shots in the first two periods, Kings coach Darryl Sutter pulled Jonathan Quick and replaced him with Jonathan Bernier to start the third period. Bernier did not let in any more goals, but that wasn't enough to spark the Kings to victory. Both teams spent more times on the offensive in the third period, but the only goals were late, with the last being into an empty net to seal the victory.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 24-17-11 (59PTS)
Washington: 26-18-10 (62PTS)
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Fox Sports West
Radio: 640 WFTL

The Panthers find themselves in a familiar position tonight: looking up at a playoff spot. What is unfamiliar, perhaps, is that they are two points out with 30 games left in the season. The Kings are 5-3-2 in their last ten while the Panthers are 3-4-3. Additionally, the Cats have not beaten the Kings since November 2002. Jani Hurme had the win in that one and the only current Cat in the game was Stephen Weiss. The only active players playing for the Cats that night were Weiss, Olli Jokinen, Andreas Lilja, Jay Bouwmeester and Kristian Huselius. What we're saying is that it's been a while. But the time for the Panthers to step up is now, if they want to be playing hockey after April 7. The stats don't matter and the history doesn't matter. What matters is getting a solid start, not giving up an early goal and putting some pucks in the net.

More from our Washington cohorts at Jewels From The Crown.
Kings vs Panthers coverage coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 24-16-11 (59PTS)
Washington: 27-21-4 (58PTS)
Season Series: 2-1-0
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Comcast Sports Net
Radio: 560 WQAM

The battle for the Southeast Division continues tonight as the Panthers take on the Capitals in Washington tonight. The teams are once again only a point apart in the standings and the winner of tonight's game will hold the lead in the division tomorrow and the loser will be sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers have won the last two meetings, but the home team has taken every game so far in the season series. The Panthers are still without starting goaltender Jose Theodore and several forwards while the Caps are missing Nicklas Backstrom and a few others. Caps forward Brooks Laich was expected to be out with a knee injury, but skated this morning and will be a game-time decision.

More from our Washington cohorts at Japers' Rink.
Panthers vs Capitals coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 24-15-11 (59PTS)
Tampa Bay: 22-23-5 (49PTS)
Season Series: 3-1-1 Tampa Bay
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Sun Sports
Radio: 560 WQAM

Tonight is the last game of the season between the Panthers and Lightning. The Panthers have pretty much owned the Lightning since the Cats came into the league, but this season marks the first season since 2007-08 that the Panthers haven't won the season series. The two teams tied that year. Conversely, the Lightning have the chance to win their first season series against the Panthers since the 2003-04 season. One point for the Lightning will clinch the series, while a Panthers regulation victory would leave the teams tied. Of course, what matters more to each team is picking up the two points for a win. The Panthers again have a slim lead in the Southeast Division and want to hold it while the Lightning are still nine points out of a playoff spot with 32 games left.

More from our Tampa Bay cohorts at Raw Charge.
Panthers vs Lightning coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida:23-15-11 (57PTS)
Winnipeg: 24-22-6 (54PTS)
Season Series: 2-0-1
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, TSN-Jets
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Winnipeg Jets visit Sunrise in the second of three Southeast Division games for the Panthers this week. The top of the division is tight, with only three points separating first place Florida from third place Winnipeg. The Panthers and Jets have the worst last ten games record (3-3-4 and 4-5-1, respectively) in the Southeast, but Washington's last loss came via the Panthers. The Cats, as always, will try to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the division this weekend. The road team has won every game in the season season, including two in the shootout, but the Panthers have one statistic in their favor this evening: The Jets are 0-8 this season in the second of back-to-back games.

More from our Winnipeg cohorts at Arctic Ice Hockey.
Jets vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
Illegal Curve Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 22-15-11 (55PTS)
Washington: 26-19-4 (56PTS)
Season Series: 1-1-0
Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, CSN
Radio: 99.9 WKIS-FM

The Panthers woke up out of a playoff spot for the first time in a long time as the Capitals, Leafs and Devils have all passed them by and pushed them to ninth. Of course, third seed is only a point away in a weak Southeast Division this season. Two points will put the Panthers back ahead of the Capitals for the division lead, and the Panthers just happen to be playing those Capitals tonight. They'll be doing it without their leading scorer, Kris Versteeg, who has the flu and their starting goaltender, Jose Theodore, who is still having problems with an injured knee. There's no need to belabor the point that both teams desperately need a win tonight. The Caps will be without the services of one Alex Ovechkin, who is serving the last game of a three game suspension tonight. Please note the late start time. The game was pushed back to clear the blackout window from NBC Sports, who are broadcasting tonight's Rangers-Sabres game at 7:30.

More from our Washington cohorts at Japers' Rink.
Capitals vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 22-15-10 (54PTS)
Philadelphia: 28-14-5 (61PTS)
Season Series: 0-1-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Comcast Sports Net Philadelphia
Radio: 640 WFTL

The Flyers visit Sunrise in the final game before the All-Star Break. The Panthers will be without the services of Dmitry Kulikov, injured in Saturday's game against Winnipeg, while the Flyers will be without Danny Briere, who received a concussion in Sunday's game against the Bruins. That was a rough game, with former Panther Nathan Horton receiving a concussion as well. The Flyers' Scott Hartnell was just added to the All-Star Game as a replacement for Jonathan Toews. Alex Ovechkin will also be missing the game, leaving another spot open, probably for Pittsburgh's James Neal, but there's an outside chance Kris Versteeg could be next on the list.

Even with the injuries and mid-season fatigue, the game will likely be hotly contested. Both teams need the points. The Flyers, though fourth in the Eastern Conference, are in second place in a tight Atlantic Division, three points back from the Rangers and three ahead of the Penguins. The Panthers are in third in the conference, but only by virtue of leading a weak Southeast Division. They're actually tied for sixth in points with the New Jersey Devils. The Southeast is also tight, with the Cats holding a one point lead over the Capitals and four points on the Jets.

More from our Philadelphia cohorts at Broad Street Hockey.
Flyers vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 21-15-10 (52PTS)
Winnipeg: 22-20-5 (49PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-1
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: CBC
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers made it out of Chicago last night despite the snowstorm that delayed the start of last night's game. The Cats make their second visit of three to Winnipeg tonight. The Panthers are in a slump that has seen them lose an eight point lead on the Capitals for the Southeast Division lead to nothing. The Caps are tied with the Panthers and the Jets are three points behind, making division games for the three teams incredibly important. The Cats gave up two to the Blackhawks last night, but can't afford to let it happen again tonight. The Jets will be without the services of Evander Kane and Tim Stapleton while the Cats just got a whole bunch of players back.

More from our Winnipeg cohorts at Arctic Ice Hockey.
Panthers vs Jets coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
Illegal Curve Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 21-14-10 (52PTS)
Chicago: 28-13-6 (62PTS)
Season Series: 0-0-1
Game Time: 9 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Comcast Sports Net Chicago
Radio: 560 WQAM

NOTE: Start time has been changed to 9pm ET due to inclement weather; Game Thread goes live at 8:30.

It's a homecoming of sorts for many Cats tonight as the Panthers visit the United Center in Chicago. Several of the current Panthers won a Stanley Cup for the Blackhawks two seasons ago and some didn't make it to the next to see the Cup banner raised. But after looking to the rafters, it's all business as the Panthers need some points to get themselves separated from the teams in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings. The Washington Capitals have finally started winning games and have tied the Panthers for the Southeast Division lead. The Cats have a number of players returning from injury this week, so with some more disciplined play are in decent position to pick up points tonight and tomorrow night in Winnipeg.

More from our Chicago cohorts at Second City Hockey.
Panthers vs Blackhawks coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 21-14-9 (51PTS)
Colorado: 24-21-2 (50PTS)
Game Time: 9:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Altitude
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers visit Colorado tonight. The Avs have been uneven, but are only one point out of a playoff spot and one behind the Panthers. The Panthers had a hot start, but their record in their last ten games (3-4-3) is almost the worst in the league. Things are looking up as several Cats, including goaltender Jose Theodore, are set to return from injuries this week, forcing head coach Kevin Dineen to start sitting underperforming players in the press box. This competition for spots in the lineup was a big part of the Panthers' early season success and there is much hope that this will result in some more wins. In the meantime, the Cats have held on to their slim lead in the Southeast Division. The Islanders shut out the Capitals last night and the Devils beat the Jets, preserving the Panthers' lead for another day, though the Caps play in Montreal tonight.

More from our Colorado cohorts at Mile High Hockey.
Panthers vs Avalanche coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 21-14-8 (50PTS)
Boston: 28-12-1 (57PTS)
Season Series: 1-1-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, NESN
Radio: 560 WQAM

Tonight is a big night for the Cats. They played a lackluster game against the Penguins on Friday and lost a needed two points. The Panthers have seen their eight point lead on the Washington Capitals evaporate through the second half of December and first half of January. The Caps are now tied with the Panthers and have pushed the Cats to seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are not playing like a playoff team right now, winning only three of their last ten. Now is the time for the Cats to get it in gear and pick up some wins before the All-Star break. The Cats handed the Bruins a rare home loss at the beginning of December, but the Bruins utterly destroyed the Panthers 8-0 right before Christmas and the Cats still haven't recovered. Tonight is a good chance for them to prove the beginning of the season wasn't a fluke.

More from our Boston cohorts at Stanley Cup of Chowder.
Bruins vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 21-13-8 (50PTS)
Pittsburgh: 21-17-4 (46PTS)
Season Series: 1-1-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, ROOT Sports
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Penguins visit Sunrise for the second and final time this season. The Pens are without star forward Sidney Crosby, as well as Jordan Staal, Kris Letang and more. They're currently riding a 6 game losing streak, but are always an opponent to be taken seriously. Even without Crosby and Staal, the team still boasts forwards Evgeni Malkin and James Neal, who is having a stellar season following last year's trade from the Dallas Stars. Penguins-Panthers tilts are pretty much always exciting ones, so even without Crosby's star power and his and Staal's offense, this should be an entertaining one and also one that the Cats need to take seriously. The Panthers have only a four point lead on Washington and are only in third place in the Eastern Conference because they're at the front of a weak division. Both the Flyers and Senators have points on the Cats despite being seeded lower in the Conference standings. The Panthers really need to continue to win on this pre-All Star Break home stand to put themselves in a better position in the Conference table.

More from our Pittsburgh cohorts at PensBurgh.
Penguins vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 20-13-8 (48PTS)
Vancouver: 26-13-3 (55PTS)
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, SportsNet Pacific
Radio: 560 WQAM

Some old friends visit Sunrise tonight, though not all are playing. The Panthers and Canucks have been frequent trading partners for a long time, and the current Canucks feature a large number of former Cats including David Booth, Roberto Luongo, Keith Ballard, Chris Higgins and more. The Canucks are coming off of a vicious game in Boston on Saturday, which they won 4-3. The Panthers will have their hands full tonight. The Canucks are first in the Western Conference and one point behind the league leading Rangers. The Canucks are on a two game win streak and are 7-2-1 in their last ten, while the Panthers are 4-4-2 in their last ten and holding only a three point division lead to the Winnipeg Jets.

More from our Vancouver cohorts at Nucks Misconduct.
Canucks vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 20-12-8 (48PTS)
New Jersey: 21-16-2 (44PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-1
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, MSG+
Radio: 560 WQAM

Tonight the Panthers visit New Jersey for their third game against Pete DeBoer's Devils. The season series has been interesting so far, with Patrik Elias complaining about his team's loss in the first game to what he considered a "one line team" and the Devils coming back from a 2 goal deficit in the second game to win in the shootout, with Elias scoring the game clinching goal. Tonight, Elias plays his 1000th career game and 1000th game as a Devil. Naturally, the Panthers would like to spoil this momentous occasion by picking up a needed two points to extend their current four point division lead on the Washington Capitals.

More from our New Jersey cohorts at In Lou We Trust.
Panthers vs Devils coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida:20-12-7 (47PTS)
New York Rangers: 24-9-4 (52PTS)
Season Series: 1-2-0
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, MSG
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers play their final game of the season against the New York Rangers tonight. The last game between the two clubs ended in an ugly incident where Tomas Kopecky sucker punched Michael Del Zotto after Del Zotto took Kopecky's helmet off with the end of his stick. Mike Rupp got involved, pulling Kopecky away from one of the linesmen to get a few punches in. Kopecky garnered a match penalty and Rupp a game misconduct while Del Zotto got two for the high stick. Krys Barch picked up a 10 minute misconduct before the next faceoff, apparently for trying to start a fight. He threatened retaliation in tonight's game.

This part of the drama may not play out, though. Barch is unable to play tonight after being suspended a game for making an "insensitive" comment to Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban on Saturday. However, the Panthers were upset at their performance and at letting the Rangers push them around Friday and came out harder against the Canadiens Saturday. If the Panthers play the game the way they did against Montreal, the Rangers will have things tougher than they did last week.

More from our New York Rangers cohorts at Blueshirt Banter.
Panthers vs Rangers coverage at SB Nation.
SB NationPreview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

The Florida Panthers have announced on Twitter that they have signed former New Jersey Devils center John Madden. No details have officially been announced, though rumor is that it's a one-year contract, which is what would be expected. Madden played most of his career with New Jersey, followed by one year stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.

Madden has won multiple Stanley Cups, most recently in 2010 as a member of the Blackhawks. While in New Jersey, in addition to Cup wins in 2000 and 2003, he won the Selke trophy, awarded to the League's best defensive forward, for the 2000-2001 season. He brings experience, plus good faceoff and penalty killing skills to the Panthers, both areas that have needed improvement this season. In addition, he has played with current Panthers Kris Versteeg, Brian Campbell, Tomas Kopecky and Jose Theodore. He will wear Pavel Bure's David Booth's number 10 for the Cats, and he is expected to center the fourth line once Marcel Goc returns to action.

Madden's career statistics after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Florida:19-12-7 (45PTS)
Montreal: 14-7-7 (35PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-0
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, CBC (Quebec), RDS
Radio: 560 WQAM

Please note late start. The game has been pushed back from its original 5:00 PM start so that CBC can broadcast the game in Quebec.

Tonight is many Panthers' fans least favorite night of the season: the New Year's Eve game against the Canadiens. Every game against the Habs provides an invasion of their fans, but the New Year's Eve game is always the worst, as the BankAtlantic Centre is transformed into Bell Centre South. The good thing from the perspective of the Cats fan tonight is that the Canadiens have not been very good as of late. They had a marginal record up until head coach Jacques Martin was fired, and have won only one of six games since Randy Cunneyworth took over. As much as we've piled on Martin here, his firing and the earlier dismissal of assistant coach Perry Pearn, both on game days, are nothing more than panic moves by a general manager whose days are numbered.

The other positive for the Panthers faithful is that the team is bound to come out angry at last night's poor performance in the first period, which was bad enough to lose them the game. They have generally responded well to losses this season, and even though they are still down six forwards, the talent level on the rest of the team is enough to beat the Canadiens if they play a good, disciplined game.

More from our Montreal cohorts at Habs Eyes On The Prize.
Canadiens vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 19-11-7 (45PTS)
New York Rangers: 22-9-4 (48PTS)
Season Series: 1-1-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, MSG
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Rangers make their annual New Year's week visit tonight as a warm-up for the Winter Classic on Monday. The Cats were embarrassed on their last visit to Madison Square Garden on their last visit and will likely have that in their minds tonight. They'll have those two points on their minds as well. After a rough stretch of a few games with no wins, the Panthers now hold the Southeast Division lead by only four points. They won the first game of three this week and would like nothing more than a nice home sweep to reestablish a commanding lead on the division. They also know the 24/7 cameras would be in the building and would prefer not to be a highlight in a blazing Rangers victory tonight.

More from our New York Rangers cohorts at Blueshirt Banter.
Rangers vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 18-11-7 (43PTS)
Toronto: 18-13-4 (40PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, SportsNet Ontario
Radio: 560 WQAM

The holiday break is over and it's time for a decimated Panthers squad to return to action. The last couple of weeks were a killer for the Cats and this week is going to be equally rough if they don't get some of their injured players back quickly. This could be the last week we'll see the classic trio of opponents during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve. The schedule changes starting next season will probably mean we'll be seeing the Bruins in the Rangers' place in coming years.

But enough about the Rangers and Bruins. Tonight's game is against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs got off to a hot start for the second year straight, but held that start for a bit longer. They slumped a little in December, but have won their last two and are sitting at sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Starting goaltender James Reimer missed a bunch of games, but is now back in the lineup. This will be Toronto head coach Ron Wilson's first game after receiving a contract extension during the holiday break.

More from our Toronto cohorts at Pension Plan Puppets.
Maple Leafs vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
SB Nation Tampa Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 18-10-7 (43PTS)
Boston: 22-9-1 (45PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-0
Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, NESN
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers' two game road trip this week is turning into a serious test of their mettle. The trip features back-to-back games against two teams that will be in the Panthers' new conference next season, and the Panthers are playing with seven forwards out. Stephen Weiss suffered a mild injury last night, missing most of the game. He's been given today off to rest, so the Panthers will call up a fifth player from the AHL. The Bruins are sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, between the Flyers and Panthers. They're 8-2-0 in their last ten games. The two losses are both to Southeast Division teams: a 2-1 loss to the Jets and a 2-0 loss to the Panthers. That loss to the Panthers was their only home loss in in regulation since Oct 27 and they're not happy about it. They've been sitting home since Tuesday and will be ready for the banged up Cats. The best the Panthers can hope for tonight is to not be embarrassed like the Flyers were last weekend when the Bruins whipped them 6-0 at home.

On the other hand, this is a great test for the guys to prove they have what it takes to make it with the Panthers. This could be Michal Repik's and Evgeni Dadonov's last chance with the organization, as, Repik's power play goal last night aside, they have been unimpressive this season. Tim Kennedy is still trying to stick with an NHL team since being let go by the Sabres. And Bill Thomas, recently signed to a two-way deal after starting the season on an AHL contract, would like to stick in the NHL as long as possible. Given all of the injuries, Dale Tallon has to be thinking trades, and some of these guys could be playing their way on to the team or into a trade. Kennedy, in particular, has the potential to make Mike Santorelli expendable with a good run of games. Thomas could play his way on to the fourth line, at least until all of the forwards are back. And the ever enigmatic Dadonov and Repik could seal their fates as Panthers players, trade bait or perennial AHL players. The scouts will probably be watching this game, since teams know Tallon may have to make some moves, so this one may be worth watching even though the Bruins will be heavily favored to win.

More from our Boston cohorts at Stanley Cup of Chowder.
New: SB Nation Game Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 18-10-6 (42PTS)
Ottawa: 16-14-4 (36PTS)
Season Series: 0-1-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida, Sportsnet Ottawa
Radio: 560 WQAM

The Panthers are on a quick pre-Christmas two-game road trip. Both games are against teams that will be in the Panthers' new conference starting next season: the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins. The Panthers have not been good against the Senators. The Sens swept the last season series and are 40-24-3-2 against the Panthers all time. The Cats added to their string of injuries this week, losing both Marco Sturm and Mikael Samuelsson in Tuesday's game against the Coyotes. The Panthers still hold a seven point lead for the division, but have only won five of their last ten games.

More from our Ottawa cohorts at Silver Seven.
Panthers vs Senators coverage at SB Nation.
TSN Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 18-9-6 (42PTS)
Phoenix: 16-13-3 (35PTS)
Season Series: 0-0-0
Game Time: 7:30 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida
Radio: 560 WQAM

Tonight's matchup features two teams that have done what everyone said they couldn't. Last season, no one pegged the Coyotes to be a playoff team. They lost their high profile coach (Wayne Gretzky), they were broke, the league had to step in and take ownership and the entire season was played under threat of the team being moved. The team and coach Dave Tippet just quietly went about their business and ended up on the wrong end of a playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings. This season, despite the replacement of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov with former Tampa Bay goaltender Mike Smith, who was so good for the Lightning he was replaced by 41 year old Dwayne Roloson, they're hanging just outside of a playoff spot.The Panthers, of course, were widely picked to end up at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but have been sitting at the top of the Southeast Division with at least a five point cushion for several weeks now.

My first Panthers game was against the Coyotes. I picked that game because my favorite NHL player, Jeremy Roenick, played for them at the time. He would score the lone goal for the Coyotes in that game, which I think they lost by 4 or 5 to 1. The two teams have swapped their share of players over the years. Former Panthers Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton came from Phoenix in the Olli Jokinen trade, and current Panthers Scottie Upshall and Ed Jovanovski both played there.

More from our Phoenix cohorts at Five For Howling.
Coyotes vs Panthers coverage at SB Nation.
TSN Preview.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Florida: 17-9-6 (40PTS)
Carolina: 10-18-5 (25PTS)
Season Series: 1-0-0
Game Time: 5:00 PM EST
Television: Fox Sports Florida
Radio: 560 WQAM

It's Sunday and along with the visiting Hurricanes, "Alcohol-Free" Sunday has come to the BankAtlantic Center. Today the Big Billboard will suspend alcohol sales in the building in coordination with FDOT as part of their "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign. As with all things involving the Panthers organization, things are not exactly as they appear at first glance. The fine print is that while all the bars and concessions on the 100 and 400 levels, as well as the Panther Bar located above the team store, will be closed and no alcohol allowed in those parts of the facility, the bars on the club and suite levels will still be serving. So, for those counting, anyone with club or suite level tickets will still be able to buy alcohol, as will all lower bowl season ticket holders, though they will not be able to take drinks back to their seats. Interesting, but not at all surprising. (Full disclosure: My running dispute with the club's disparate treatment of upper bowl season ticket holders and those holding more high priced tickets is a large part of the reason why I elected to get a satellite dish rather than season tickets this year.)

But what of the game? Today is the second of six between the two teams, division rivals for one last season before the Panthers and Lightning join the East Canada Conference next season. The Hurricanes sport the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the Panthers have beat them once this season. But, as always, underestimating an opponent is a great way for teams at the top of the standings to lose games to those at the bottom. The Panthers would do well to follow up Friday night's win with another hard working game, possibly complete with some goals not from Messrs. Weiss, Versteeg and Fleischmann.

More from our Carolina cohorts at Canes Country.
LBC Game Thread will open 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Continue reading this post »

Former Florida Panthers head coach and general manager Jacques Martin was "relieved of his coaching duties" by the Montreal Canadiens today. Assistant coach Randy Cunneyworth was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Cunneyworth was formerly head coach of the Rochester Americans and Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. Martin was brought in as head coach of the Panthers by former general manager Mike Keenan, following Martin's dismissal from the Ottawa Senators. His first season as coach was the season following the lockout, 2005-2006. In 2006, Keenan was fired following his trade of goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Canucks and Martin was given the general manager job in addition to his job as head coach. Martin's record with the Panthers was a dismal 110-100-36 over three seasons, with the Panthers missing the playoffs each year. At the end of the 2007-2008 season, Martin was relieved of his coaching duties but remained as general manager and, as such, hired his own replacement, Peter DeBoer. Martin bailed at the end of DeBoer's first season as coach to take his dream job, that of Canadiens head coach. His 96-75-25 record and appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season as head coach was better than his record in Florida, but with the team in obvious decline in the two following seasons (the Canadiens were 13-12-7 under Martin this season), he was let go.

The situation here is one that both Senators and Panthers fans expected. His coaching style worked well in the early days of the Senators franchise, with the team making the playoffs most years, but ultimately it created a boring defensive style of hockey and his team had little success in the playoffs. He employed the same style with even less success in Florida, and despite the Canadiens' appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in his first season, the same was true there as well. This may have been Jacques Martin's last go around in the NHL as teams increasingly opt towards hiring coaches out of the AHL or the Canadian juniors leagues rather than bringing in older, experienced NHL coaches, especially ones who have never won a championship.