Friday Caterwaul - Panthers Open Forum

``One play decided the game, and that's going to happen. I can take a loss like this 10 times over the other one where the effort wasn't there."

- Panthers goaltender Tomas Vokoun, via the Miami Herald

We're not going to read into that as a prediction of what's to come.

Florida fell again Thursday night, but as T-Vo correctly alluded, the effort was indeed there. Just one of those deals where the Cats - ready to run-and-gun - ran smack into a super-hot goalie in Jaroslav Halak, whose club would accept nothing less than two full points out of this game.

Given what the Panthers have to work with, were you generally pleased with change in tempo and grit over Tuesday's Toronto debacle? Who could have stepped it up last night? The first line Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton, and Michael Frolik - though not scoring - was doing its thing, Radek Dvorak was his typical dynamo self, Cory Stillman drove to the net as expected, and Vokoun was everything one could ask for in a starter. So who must kick it up a notch or two? And be more creative than simply naming Campbell.

Unrelated, here's a terrific article by Ray Irwin at School Your Pool regarding Florida prospect Jacob Markstrom and where he stands in the club hierarchy right now...and what moves may be required to make room for him next season. Do check it out.

Thoughts going into Saturday's game in Ottawa?