Rangers decide playoff spot might be huge, score four unanswered over Panthers
by Donny Rivette on Apr 3, 2010 10:15 PM EDT
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Nick Tarnasky and Aaron Voros made it look a lot more interesting, with a fine tussle in the first period, setting the stage for a grudgematch between a club straining for credibility and another seeking respectibility. We'll leave it to you to decide who's who.
In the end, Keith Ballard's first period goal was but a tease, leading to a barrage set in motion by Marc Staal (assist to Henrik Lundqvist), leading to tallies by Brandon Prust, Chris Drury, and Marian Gaborik. King Henrik finished the evening with 19 saves. Yeah...19.
Nick Tarnasky and Aaron Voros decided to share paint rather early, making for the only enjoyable patch of first period action.
Scott Clemmensen - fresh off a shutout victory in Boston - had easily half the support he enjoyed in Beantown, stopping 23 of 26 shots. Dude hasn't been forgotten; looked solid.
For the record, the Panthers have been eliminated from playoff contention. And at this point, so what?
We didn't go into the season planning on this quite so early - if at all. Hockey media from coast to coast dictated the Panthers did not have enough scoring to survive the season. Minus the injuries to presumed leading scorers David Booth and Nathan Horton, they were correct.
As a fan, the past week or so has been ridiculously difficult to cover; exactly who are we supposed to support? The club, or the lottery spot?
Like so many of us, I love this team, this franchise, this organization. I'm extraordinarily patient about playoff reservations, and equally about asking too much of a club not constructed for the Long March Forward (ya know...Whalers and all). Simply writing the recent "LotteryMania" fluff has been an exercise in dual-personalities; it doesn't come naturally.
Next up: Ottawa on Tuesday.
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Lottery spot. Yes, I know it’s pretty clear the Panthers need more help than just a top 3 pick. But that top 3 pick can help a lot more a lot sooner than a #6 or #7 pick… Hall\Seguin\Fowler are NHL players next season. The guys drafted after that might be, but they might be AHLers for a couple seasons too. We need help now, not growing in the system.
But looking at the history of this team on draft day
Don’t be shocked if that pick is traded away.
by Alexander Calloway on Apr 3, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
And by traded away I mean not traded away
Opps wrong history
by Alexander Calloway on Apr 3, 2010 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions
What player would come to FLorida wilingly? With no hope of the playoffs in the future? We will be stuck with more journeyman.
Seriously, the only way the Panthers are going to be a better team is to stack up on draft picks and trade away for prospectsrs. Panthers would be wiser to keep their #3 or #4 pick, and trade Vokoun for a series of picks in this year’s draft. They need to stock up on picks, and rebuild their junior and ahl system. The team is filled with energy guys in prospects. There are no solid goal scorers there, except maybe Repik. The problem with Florida is “scoring” and always has been.
What team is going to give up a scorer for a guy like Booth or HOrton? NO ONE…. Thus, the draft is the only way and trading away for prospects. Is Sexton the guy to do it?
P.S. Go Bolt! Just win !!! Panthers want the #2 pick!!!
as much as i love our cats
this season has been painful to watch. the saddest part is that there’s almost no way to turn the team into a contender without at least 2-4 seasons of rational, consistent roster improvements.
by NakedBootlegger on Apr 3, 2010 11:27 PM EDT reply actions
Again Tarnasty does his job.........
Oh Well……..since we’re out of it who cares….Obviously the team doesn’t….we don’t either………ahhhhhhhhhhhh….another season…….oh well…Got to get a top 3 pick……
Rusell Crowe would be proud
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
interesting stats
the Panthers rank dead last in winning percentage when scoring first, when leading after two and dead last in wins at home, shots against, power play efficiency. that’s just what, FIVE categories.
the list is too long if i were to share all the OTHER categories in which the team ranks in the bottom five. let’s just say if you were to go over to NHL.com you would see only six of fifteen categories listing stats such as these that the panthers didn’t get out of the bottom five.
We’ll definately finish with the 3rd or 4th pick, I think we should trade up to get Hall or Sequin, even if we have to drastically overpay, we haven’t had a dominant offensive player since Bure. If we can’t trade up though, Fowler, Gudbranson and Gormley are all pretty damn good, Sexton couldn’t make a bad choice in this draft if he wanted.
And with Vokoun most likely leaving us this summer, that means that we’ll be seriously deprived at offense, defense, goaltending and organizational depth. So even if Sexton completely screws this draft up he’ll acquire something that we need (unless he wants another fighter, I want Tarnasky in a Panther uniform for a long time!).
Tarnasky really showed his mettle last night; if given half a chance he could pest it up with some of the best out there. That’s an invaluable asset.
Again, will get the opportunity? He’s an RFA in July.
by Donny Rivette on Apr 4, 2010 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
He better stay, aside from fighting he isn’t a bad hockey player, he’s better than Kreps, Oreskovich, Macintyre and Duco and he’s cheap, no reason not to resign him. Then again Sexton had no reason not to resign Skrastins either.
Actually, Skrastins left because he wanted a 2 year deal but was only offered 1, and Sexton wouldn’t budge.
High expectations at the time for Ellerby and Garrison…
by Donny Rivette on Apr 4, 2010 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Keep Nick. He’s a prototypical fourth liner and has displayed enough guts and grit to get a contract for next year. He’s not a goon, and has the ability to provide a game changing hit as well as fight.
Otherwise we have a ton of work to do this offseason, and a draft pick alone won’t cut it.
I think the only way to get some of the pieces that we need is by trading. No solid free agent is coming here.
We should be done with the journeymen. Management has to take some chances and do some things are not popular. But that’s how you build, don’t be sentimental. It’s gotten us noplace.
Can Nick be cloned?Panthers need a line of guys like him that bring it each night. Not guys collecting playoffs.
I’m very excited to see Dadonov tomorrow night in the line up!
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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 2.13.2012 at 10:29 PM 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
|
55 | 28-22-5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg Jets
|
57 | 26-25-6 | 58 |
|
Montreal Canadiens
|
56 | 23-24-9 | 55 |
|
Tampa Bay Lightning
|
55 | 24-25-6 | 54 |
|
New York Islanders
|
55 | 23-24-8 | 54 |
|
Buffalo Sabres
|
55 | 24-25-6 | 54 |
|
Carolina Hurricanes
|
56 | 20-25-11 | 51 |
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