Sunday Caterwaul: Panthers Open Forum

by Donny Rivette on Jan 15, 2012 11:44 AM EST in LBC Caterwauls: '11-12

A pile of Erik/Eric: rookie blueliner Erik Gudbranson has 22 hits in his past ten appearances, plus this takedown of Pittsburgh's Eric Tangradi on Friday.

The Eastern Front

Rank	Team	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	GF	GA	Home	Away	L/10	Streak
1	NY Rangers	42	28	10	4	60	121	86	13-4-2	15-6-2	8-2-0	Won 1
2	Boston	41	28	12	1	57	150	81	16-7-1	12-5-0	7-3-0	Lost 1
3	Florida	43	21	14	8	50	110	120	11-5-5	10-9-3	3-5-2	Lost 1
4	Philadelphia	43	26	13	4	56	144	128	10-6-2	16-7-2	5-5-0	Lost 1
5	Ottawa	46	25	15	6	56	146	146	14-8-1	11-7-5	8-1-1	Won 4
6	New Jersey	44	25	17	2	52	121	125	11-7-1	14-10-1	6-3-1	Won 2
7	Toronto	44	22	17	5	49	137	137	12-6-4	10-11-1	5-4-1	Lost 2
8	Washington	42	23	17	2	48	123	123	16-5-1	7-12-1	6-3-1	Won 2

9	Pittsburgh	43	22	17	4	48	128	113	11-7-2	11-10-2	4-6-0	Won 1
10	Winnipeg	44	20	19	5	45	113	128	14-8-1	6-11-4	4-6-0	Lost 3
11	Buffalo	44	19	20	5	43	112	129	11-9-5	8-11-0	3-5-2	Lost 1
12	Montreal	44	16	20	8	40	112	122	7-8-7	9-12-1	3-6-1	OT 1
13	Carolina	46	16	23	7	39	122	152	11-11-3	5-12-4	5-4-1	Won 2
14	NY Islanders	42	16	20	6	38	102	131	10-10-3	6-10-3	5-5-0	Won 1
15	Tampa Bay	43	17	22	4	38	118	150	11-6-1	6-16-3	3-5-2	Lost 2

Why last night rocked:

NJ over WPG, 2-1 (REG); Devils score twice in third to keep Jets - wait for it - grounded with 45 points and three consecutive losses. Cats retain 5-point lead
CAR over BOS, 4-2; high hopes for a massive 48-hour hangover by the loser here
NYI over BUF, 4-2; Sabres 1-3-1 in last 5
NYR over TOR, 3-0; Leafs have lost two after 4-game win streak
NSH over PHI, 4-2; recent stretch is L-W-W-L-W-W-L for Flyers

Why last night jonesed:

OTW over MTL, 3-2 (SO); Sens' victory in skillz komp only (minor) scratch on solid off-ice night for Panthers

Playoff Update:

FLA did not play; playoff odds up 1.4 to 75.5% per Sports Club Stats

Why tonight is a Big Deal in SoFla:

PIT at TB, 1 p.m.; Bolts are 4-1 over last five vs Pens in Da Bay
CAR at WSH, 5; a rather monumental final Damocles-style game-in-hand for Caps over FLA, as Washington has grabbed points in seven of past eight at Raleigh
NYR at MTL, 7 (NBC-SN); Habs are 7-1 in last eight at home vs Rags. A New York regulation victory is the best outcome

Next up for the Cats:

At home tomorrow vs BOS. The LBC Game Thread loathes the bus. There has to be a more dignified mode of transportation. And there is, right here at 7 p.m.

Did you know:

Since a two-game winning streak over Calgary and Carolina (December 16/18), the Panthers are 3-5-2, scoring 20 goals while allowing 36.

On the table:

FLA prospect F Zach Hyman (5th/'10) and Michigan take on Ohio State in the Frozen Diamond Faceoff outdoor game from Progressive Field (home of MLB's Cleveland Indians), 5 p.m. ET...THN on the minor-league deal that went down Friday...more from our network bro WCH here...Dineen slashes ice time for top trio Friday...LBC's sorta-little-more-than-halfway trophies coming later this afternoon...good times for all in San Antonio as Rampage fans party up 10th anniversary...Erlendsson gets a bit weird by saying no to goalie moves for Bolts in a great post at TBO...a relevant look at the dearth of high-scoring games via THN...time for an end to the "staged" fight?...Dobber looks at a few WJC standouts, all of whom we'll know much more about in 5 months...for you hardcores, SB Nation Hockey has a brandy-new Facebook Page (the SBN NHL Twitter feed rolls on as well).

Saturday’s Organizational Transactions:

None

Saturday’s NHL Waiver Wire

Claimed:

To CBJ: Colton Gillies - LW (from MIN)

Cleared:

Chris Minard - LW (DET)

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Comments

you go back, Jack, do it again

The Canes were able to get the Bruins yesterday. will they will be too fat and happy to knock off the Caps today? Hope not.

by Todd Little on Jan 15, 2012 11:46 AM EST reply actions

Skinner’s off IR, so there’s that.

Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Jan 15, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

food for thought

Kyle Turris has 9 points and is +10 in 13 games for the Sens. Should the Panthers have kicked the tires a little harder when he was available?

by Todd Little on Jan 15, 2012 11:48 AM EST reply actions

yup. kid is awesome.

by Rob PKane McMahon on Jan 15, 2012 12:01 PM EST up reply actions

Would you trade Alex Petrovic for him? Thats basically what OTT had to shed for Turris

I’m putting here for reflection later on in the season…. #14 Tomas [Fleischmann] is getting a 40G season. FLASH COUNT: 15G/19A
by RPC on Sep 17, 2011 5:20 PM MDT
Find me on Twidduh And look at my Marmots

by Chris S Roberts on Jan 15, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe he would have come over here and not been good at all. I think he really wanted to go to a more traditional market and just concentrate on his game. I think he didn’t want to play for Phoneix and Dale didn’t want to chance bringing in a player like that. I guess he’s almost like Phoneix’s Horton. Wanted out. Either way I think the Yotes had a sigh of relief and have mangaged quite well and the Sens got better.

A lil thunder and a lil lightning is what the Cats are going to bring this year.

by trinidaddy on Jan 15, 2012 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

I would have

by Colt1235 on Jan 15, 2012 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

In a heartbeat if he seemed to have the kind of character we want to see in Florida and that scoring would definitely translate. But he doesn’t and it wouldn’t be a sure thing, so no.

by angellen on Jan 15, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

The rest of OTT is scoring at will right now, I doubt he’d have kept that pace in FLA

by Chris S Roberts on Jan 15, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Versteeg has one of my fav hats now.. hopefully it brings him some luck with this slump were in.

tired of watching the scores every night hoping for teams I hate to win just so we dont drop

by Rob PKane McMahon on Jan 15, 2012 12:02 PM EST reply actions

I hear you Rob. sucks having to do that. They need to get the tide turned and quick. You knew Washington wasn’t going to stay around .500 forever. Now it’s looking like we are going to be in a dogfight or 6-7 or 8 which is what I expected before the season started. Hopefully they can get back to how they played in November early December. Expect for that spell they been pretty average.
The 110 goals scored stat is starting to stick out like a sore thumb to me too.

by Todd Little on Jan 15, 2012 12:25 PM EST up reply actions

Vokie always starts slow… this time of year is where he earns his paycheck.

by Rob PKane McMahon on Jan 15, 2012 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

I’m actually pretty suprised. Usually January has been their best month of the year, where they usually have a positive record for the month in previous years. We’re all used to this though, watching if other teams win or lose. This should be the last season of that for a long, long time.

- Go Panthers -

by flpanther360 on Jan 15, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

Also remember that this month might end up being one of the toughest in years for us since we’re playing all top teams, no Islanders or Jackets in the mix to give them a break. That should change next month. I personally had set low expectations earlier this month. Have to take it a game at a time in order to be successful this month.

- Go Panthers -

by flpanther360 on Jan 15, 2012 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

Via GR: Jose Theodore looks really good today; I would think he starts Mon v #Bruins #FlaPanthers

Via Harvey: Panthers practice. Skille amd Upshall in. Noncontact jerseys #flapanthers

- Go Panthers -

by flpanther360 on Jan 15, 2012 12:36 PM EST reply actions

maybe later this week for those two. I think Upshall will be back first.

by Todd Little on Jan 15, 2012 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

My friends who were there said skille was in green…sturm was only one in noncontact jersey…

by Colt1235 on Jan 15, 2012 2:21 PM EST up reply actions

i just want bergy back

wish there was an update

by stopdropandbreathe on Jan 15, 2012 2:21 PM EST reply actions

I told him not to rush and make things worse yesterday, and that hes gotta save em for the playoffs. He said he’s looking forward to topping last season

by Rob PKane McMahon on Jan 15, 2012 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

Blast it Tampa

Quit teasing me!

The Florida Panthers have become Chicago's retirement home. This is oddly fitting.

by BadLuckCharm on Jan 15, 2012 3:20 PM EST reply actions

5-3. Pittsburgh’s back

by Chris S Roberts on Jan 15, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

As long as washington loses, we’re good

by eliran2 on Jan 15, 2012 3:27 PM EST up reply actions

I was at practice today. They were out there for quite some time. They look like they are having a lot of fun, espcially gudbranson, weaver and garrison. Skille and Upshall were out there longer then everyone. I think skille is closer then upshall, upshall looked totally winded out there but they practiced hard! Theodore also looked great so hopefully we see him in net tomorrow night ag the bruins

Dara

by gravenger5 on Jan 15, 2012 3:39 PM EST reply actions

Hey Donny, what’s the mention of being a “Pratt Baby” in your profile mean? Just wondering, I work at Pratt and Whitney Canada, and deal with the Pratt in Hartford sometimes.

by pukeoncops on Jan 15, 2012 4:20 PM EST reply actions

Exactly correct! Hence the Hartford/West Palm Beach connection :)

Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Jan 15, 2012 4:50 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

PT6!

by OldDave on Jan 16, 2012 12:22 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

Holding my nose and hoping for a Carolina win in regulation.

by jimmyh71 on Jan 15, 2012 5:44 PM EST reply actions

Washington 2 Carolina 1

sucks

by eliran2 on Jan 15, 2012 7:36 PM EST reply actions

7th Place Cats. Who knows, maybe this is the kick in the ass the guys need to get going again. Maybe they were too comfortable.

Steve Diaz
Twitter - @sdiaz6215

by Sdiaz6215 on Jan 15, 2012 7:38 PM EST up reply actions

This news is disconcerting.

Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus

by Donny Rivette on Jan 15, 2012 8:52 PM EST up reply actions

And here we go…
Must win situation for the Panthers tomorrow night. Everyone better find their little Star Wars lunch pails to bring to the BAC….. oh and I think Weav’s is due for something- he hasn’t had a point in over a month. :-(

I hereby predict Captain Mike Weaver #43 will score 6G 20A -RCR 0G9A 12/6
Be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, always do your best...

by RPC on Jan 15, 2012 7:44 PM EST reply actions