Saturday Caterwaul: Florida Panthers GameDay Open Forum
A sixth-round pick by Buffalo in 1997 - current Sabres GM Darcy Regier's first season in that capacity - Florida Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell (center above) remains second in league scoring by blueliners with 47 points (3G), trailing Ottawa's entry-level wonder Erik Karlsson by a mind-numbing 24 (and good luck with that contract re-negotiation Mr. Murray...he's an RFA in July). "Soup" has collected a somewhat pedestrian 1A & 2 SOG in five games against his former team as a member of the Blackhawks, Sharks, and Panthers. With a 3-point effort Thursday, Campbell's logged five games with three points or better in 2011-12.
The Eastern Front
Rank | Team | GP | W | L | OT | PTS | GF | GA | Home | Away | L10 | Streak |
1 | NY Rangers | 70 | 44 | 19 | 7 | 95 | 194 | 155 | 24-8-2 | 20-11-5 | 5-4-1 | Lost 1 |
2 | Ottawa | 72 | 37 | 25 | 10 | 84 | 220 | 210 | 19-13-4 | 18-12-6 | 5-3-2 | Won 1 |
3 | Florida | 70 | 34 | 23 | 13 | 81 | 177 | 195 | 19-9-8 | 15-14-5 | 6-3-1 | Won 3 |
4 | Pittsburgh | 69 | 43 | 21 | 5 | 91 | 224 | 175 | 24-8-2 | 19-13-3 | 10-0-0 | Won 10 |
5 | Philadelphia | 70 | 41 | 22 | 7 | 89 | 226 | 199 | 18-10-5 | 23-12-2 | 8-2-0 | Won 2 |
6 | New Jersey | 71 | 41 | 25 | 5 | 87 | 196 | 182 | 20-12-3 | 21-13-2 | 6-3-1 | Won 1 |
7 | Boston | 70 | 40 | 27 | 3 | 83 | 225 | 176 | 20-13-2 | 20-14-1 | 3-7-0 | Lost 4 |
8 | Washington | 71 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 78 | 191 | 200 | 23-10-3 | 13-19-3 | 6-3-1 | Lost 1 |
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9 | Winnipeg | 71 | 34 | 29 | 8 | 76 | 189 | 199 | 23-10-4 | 11-19-4 | 5-3-2 | Won 2 |
10 | Buffalo | 71 | 33 | 29 | 9 | 75 | 178 | 201 | 18-11-8 | 15-18-1 | 6-2-2 | OT 1 |
11 | Tampa Bay | 70 | 32 | 31 | 7 | 71 | 198 | 237 | 21-12-2 | 11-19-5 | 5-4-1 | Lost 1 |
12 | Toronto | 71 | 31 | 32 | 8 | 70 | 205 | 218 | 16-13-6 | 15-19-2 | 2-7-1 | Won 1 |
13 | Carolina | 71 | 27 | 29 | 15 | 69 | 185 | 211 | 18-13-6 | 9-16-9 | 4-3-3 | Won 1 |
14 | Montreal | 72 | 28 | 32 | 12 | 68 | 189 | 200 | 13-15-8 | 15-17-4 | 4-4-2 | OT 1 |
15 | NY Islanders | 71 | 28 | 32 | 11 | 67 | 166 | 214 | 15-16-6 | 13-16-5 | 2-5-3 | Lost 1 |
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Why last night rocked:
- WPG over WSH, 3-2 (REG): Jets thankfully performed as predicted at home within 60 minutes; five of next eight games on road. Oh, and did we mention the regulation aspect?/
Why last night jonesed:
- OTT over MTL 2-1 (OT): if this is the price we pay for a once-per-lifetime New Years Eve victory against the Habs, well, Ole./
Panthers Playoff Update:
- FLA did not play; playoff odds down 0.4 to 94% per Sports Club Stats /
Why tonight is a Big Deal in SoFla, beyond the obvious:
Focusing on clubs within 5 points of Panthers (81P); teams FLA needs to lose in bold…
- PHI at BOS (83P), 1 p.m.: Broons have lost four straight, Flyers 7-1 in past eight
- TOR at OTT (84P), 7: Sens lead season series 3-2 but outscored by Leafs 17-16/
Next up for the Cats:
- Hosting the Sabres tonight at BAC in the closer of a 4-game homestand; LBC Game Thread asks Eckhardt to think about the future at 7. Need Seats? Tickets starting at $7 via TiqIQ./
Did you know:
- Jose Theodore has an 11-14-2 record (1 SO, .901) vs BUF while Scott Clemmensen is 2-0-1 (.892)
Friday’s Organizational News:
- F Kris Versteeg and D Dmitry Kulikov expected to play tonight
- F Michal Repik scored San Antonio's only goal while Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 shots in a 3-1 Rampage loss to Abbotsford, but outside of team management, who really cared on Dollar Drink Night?
- Florida prospect G Sam Brittain's 67 saves in a double overtime victory on Friday were monumental for more than a few reasons as the Denver Pioneers plow ahead
Tonight’s college playoff action on NBC Sports Network
- Hockey East Championship Game: Maine vs Boston College, 8 p.m. (no FLA prospects)/
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