Panthers call it a season with 3-1 loss to Lightning; Stamkos nails 51st
by Donny Rivette on Apr 11, 2010 8:42 PM EDT
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Like last night, we're not going to spend much time rehashing what went down this evening; in the big picture it's really not that important. The season's in the books, the players will get their exit interviews tomorrow, and life will return to a familiar pace for all of us at this time each year. But that's not an entirely bad thing.
Let's get the numbers out of the way first: Kudos to Tampa Bay sophomore Steven Stamkos (8 SOG), who notched his 51st goal of the year (EN with 12 seconds remaining, and one more than Alex Ovechkin), an effort which tied him with Sidney Crosby, enabling the two to share the Rocket Richard Trophy. What a campaign.
Otherwise, Rostislav Olesz opened the scoring at 2:06 of the first period with assists from Radek Dvorak and Shawn Matthias. And that was it from the Cats. Noteworthy was Keith Ballard's 19 penalty minutes gained in a fight with Ryan Malone. Bryan McCabe led in SOG with five and TOI with 24:22. Alex Tanguay and Vincent Lecavalier each had a goal and assist in the victory. Scott Clemmensen closed with 28 saves as counterpart Mike Smith stopped 30 shots. Tyler Plante again backed up Clemmer.
As is custom, the club signed autographs, took photos, and milled with fans on ice after the final bell. The faces of players - downtrodden yet unbowed - showed the wear of 82 games and more than a touch of disappointment following yet another year of coulda-shoulda. But collectively they kept the kids smiling. Can't help but think more than a few of the Cats are wondering where they'll be skating five months from now, as the spectre of relocation for they and their families looms large. Not a pleasant thought for anyone. A losing season affects far more than the diehards.
In the days ahead we'll be offering up our thoughts on the year, whom should be retained/dealt, our hopes for the draft, our desires in free agency, and beyond. Because we're know-it-alls. That's what fans do. And please keep up the great work on FanPosts/FanShots. Be heard.
The 2009-10 season may be finished, but the real work lies ahead for GM Randy Sexton and his staff. Love him or not, the future of the franchise rests in his hands. Step One is Tuesday, so join us for the LotteryMania Live Chat Spectacular at 7pm.
On a personal note: my sincere thanks to everyone - regulars and lurkers alike - for coming out all year. It's been an honor and pleasure interracting with each of you. The best is yet to come.
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Well your welcome
I look forward to reading up about my new 2nd favorite team
by Alexander Calloway on Apr 11, 2010 8:52 PM EDT reply actions
Well, Thank God that's over.
Now let’s look ahead to the lottery, then the draft, then hopefully a stout offseason to prelude a playoff run in 2010-11. I’m glad Crosby won’t get the Rocket Richard award solo but GD that empty netter was painful to watch.
NY Jets = NFL's Chicago Cubs
There's a fine line between hopeful and desperate. Just look @ Jets fans.
I have to be honest, some of us in the B&C section were cheering him on. The Panthers were cooked, we wanted the draft pick and we hate Crosby.
Florida Panthers: Giving the league a punching bag since 2000.
Oh, no doubt.
I just hated to see how it happened. I was thrilled for Stamkos and I can’t stand that mother canucker Crosby so it was good for what it was but it was still painful to see how we gave that last one up. If it wouldn’t be completely ridiculous, I would swear that that play was set up to give Stamkos the goal.
NY Jets = NFL's Chicago Cubs
There's a fine line between hopeful and desperate. Just look @ Jets fans.
by TheFinReaper on Apr 12, 2010 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Beats the heck outta 10.7%.
In the end, so what? We’ve got assets to play with.
by Donny Rivette on Apr 11, 2010 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I feel like I keep reading stuff about confetti after today’s game… that can’t be real, can it? I mean OFP has quotes and everything… confetti? I mean I know I’m happy we lost 12 of our last 20 and finished in 28th of 30 teams, but confetti? Was that real?
I get the idea…makes it a festival for the younglings in an attempt to “grow” a new generation of fans. But this certainly could be – and sadly was – taken the wrong way.
My thought? Regardless of – and with grand respect to – what Weiss says (and most of the Cats most likely feel): let it go. It was one night which may have positively impacted the lives of a hundred or so future Panthers fans. You’re not the first to be “embarrassed” by the club who employs you, and you will not be the last.
I love Weiss even more after his candid comments tonight, but let’s put an end to this entire deal and let it go.
Imagine travelling on the back of a convertible after losing a divisional playoff series. The Hartford Whalers did the parade thing for the fans, not themselves. Stephen Weiss – though wildly frustrated – is a man of such character.
by Donny Rivette on Apr 12, 2010 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions
In his message to the fans at the end of the game, there was no such bitterness. He thanked the fans for showing up every year even though they never make the playoffs and followed up with “we’ll turn this thing around,” etc. Some members of the bitter & cynical section thought it was a bit cheesy, but I think he was being sincere about how much the players appreciate the people who come to see a losing team every year.
Florida Panthers: Giving the league a punching bag since 2000.
I get it, I guess. For anyone that was there, I’m assuming that this confetti wasn’t shot out after the final horn and Tampa was celebrating? Was it something like after the players did their thank you’s or whatever they did, and as they were leaving the ice, confetti fell? I’m just trying to understand how this worked, or at least was supposed to work…
by Karl Selvig on Apr 12, 2010 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions
THe Current Panthers should bury this season. Don’t let it make problems for your offseason.
As a side note, as hinted by Sexton, there will really be little changes in Florida. He is afraid to pull the trigger on sending Booth, Weiss, Horton, or Frolik away. THe only big change next season will be who is in net. I think that this is the worst thing for the team. Ownership and Management still don’t get it. They had a healthy Booth Weiss Horton combo for years with spectacular goaltending, and yet they still cannot make it to the playoffs. Break it up already, leadership is missing around their chosen three to build around. They need to find new pieces to build around or face the fate of the Bolts.
Now if only we hadn't beat Toronto on March 23rd.
We’d have a guaranteed top 3 pick and a 60.8% chance of a top 2 pick (and no there is no satisfying me about how far down we finished, we need someone like Hall or Seguin).
NY Jets = NFL's Chicago Cubs
There's a fine line between hopeful and desperate. Just look @ Jets fans.
we might as well
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
by Patssuck456 on Apr 12, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Well....
it ended the way we wanted it to, that’s good at least. this might have been the most frustrating season for any of us, realistic expectations turned to dust as soon as Booth was knocked out and the season went by the wayside. We’ve been saying it for some time, but I believe we have some very quality pieces that just need to find their way to the right line and not play above themselves. after all, is there a much better second line than Horts-Weiss-Booth? the problem is, who’s on the first line.
it’ll be an interesting offseason, to say the least. don’t expect any major house cleanings, Randy will be steering this club through 2011 in my eyes and DeBoer has to be granted one more chance, though losing 16 points from last season speaks volumes.
Donny, another excellent job all season and I’ll be here to criticize every move we make come July 1st. Before you know it, we’ll be complaining about the ridiculous Preseason schedule and training camp!
both Horton and Weiss had their best years, though i don’t know how much more you can ask of Weiss. Horton played a new game this season and was actually exciting to see for a change. and even in limited action, Booth got to 8 goals and countless other justmissed opps.
by alterego6487 on Apr 12, 2010 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks Donnie
A great job by you in a year of complete and utter frustration. Sometimes I feel as though I’m the bad cop on my site in all this, but in reality, my loyalty is there.
I just want all the losing to stop.
I’m all for a relatively complete cleaning of the house, but am concerned that only a couple moves will be made. Were saddled with some bad contracts as well as contracts that have either no movement or no trade clauses in them.
It’s commendable that players want to stay and turn this around, but we’ve been hearing that for quite sometime now and it hasn’t happened. Last year was disappointing, yet I think we all felt that a couple players could have changed things.
Steven Reinprecht and as I so graciously referred to him as “The Stripper”, Ville Koistenen were not the two players we needed, or thought they would be.
Weiss and Horton are fine as a second line, but as alterego said, who’s on the first?
Management must finally realize that we can’t build around those two as well as hope for a complete recovery from Booth. He is one more hit away from a short career.
Moving Vokoun seems to be one way to acquire something, but is Sexton smart enough to get a good enough deal?
Remember when the owners sent the letter? Will it ever actuyally be acted on?
Thank you, Frank. It’s a group effort by all of us!
by Donny Rivette on Apr 13, 2010 7:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
55 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 65 |
|
Washington
|
56 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
55 | 24 | 25 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
57 | 21 | 25 | 11 | 53 |
(updated 2.14.2012 at 3:50 AM EST)
Eastern Standings
| GP | W-L-OT | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New York Rangers
|
54 | 36-13-5 | 77 |
|
Boston Bruins
|
53 | 34-17-2 | 70 |
|
Florida Panthers
|
55 | 27-17-11 | 65 |
|
Philadelphia Flyers
|
56 | 31-18-7 | 69 |
|
Pittsburgh Penguins
|
56 | 32-19-5 | 69 |
|
New Jersey Devils
|
55 | 31-20-4 | 66 |
|
Ottawa Senators
|
58 | 28-22-8 | 64 |
|
Toronto Maple Leafs
|
56 | 28-22-6 | 62 |
|
Washington Capitals
|
56 | 28-23-5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg Jets
|
57 | 26-25-6 | 58 |
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Montreal Canadiens
|
57 | 23-25-9 | 55 |
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Tampa Bay Lightning
|
55 | 24-25-6 | 54 |
|
New York Islanders
|
55 | 23-24-8 | 54 |
|
Buffalo Sabres
|
55 | 24-25-6 | 54 |
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Carolina Hurricanes
|
57 | 21-25-11 | 53 |
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