LBC GameDay Caterwaul: Pittsburgh Penguins at Florida Panthers

Penguins (16-7-3 35P) at Panthers (12-11-4 28P)

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• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET - LBC GameThread right here at 7ish
• WHERE: BB&T Center - Sunrise, FL
• ON THE TUBE: FOX Sports Florida, ROOT
• ON THE DIAL: 560 WQAM, 640 WMEN
• TICKETS: via Ticketmaster
• GOODIES: Panthers Holiday Plan deal (more)
• SOCIALS: #FlaPanthers, #Pens, #FLAvsPIT, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook
• ENEMY INTEL: Pensburgh
• SB NATION: Game Feature Hub
• FLA IN SEASON SERIES: Game 2 of 3 (0-1-0)
• ALL-TIME vs PIT (RS): 36W-35L-4T 7OTL 4SOL 239GF 244GA
• ALL-TIME vs PIT at FLA (RS): 23W-16L-1T 3OTL 0SOL 126GF 113GA
• LAST FIVE vs PIT (RS): 1-2-2 15GF 9GA
• LAST MEETING: PHI 3 at FLA 2 (REG) (Todd’s Recap) - 10/25/2016
• NEXT MEETING: Sunday 03/19/2017 in Pittsburgh
• PROJECTED STARTERS: Luongo (9-7-2 .926/2.15 0SO), Murray (8-2-0 .930/2.01 1SO)
• TALE OF THE TAPE via Left Wing Lock
• JAGR WATCH: All-time vs PIT (RS): 55GP 24G-22A 46P -1 4GWG
• PLAYER STATS: Florida / Pittsburgh/

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Scouting Report:

The Florida Panthers want to be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It is not just that the Penguins are the reigning Stanley Cup champions, but how they won.

The Penguins fired their coach (Mike Johnston) on Dec. 12, 2015, and replaced him with Mike Sullivan, who was running their American Hockey League affiliate. The Penguins got hot after that and won the Stanley Cup.

The Panthers fired their coach (Gerard Gallant) on Nov. 27, 2016, and replaced him with Tom Rowe, who ran their AHL affiliate the past three years.

That, however, is where the similarities end, at least so far.

Rowe, who is also the Panthers' general manager, has lost four of the five games since Gallant was dismissed, although the Panthers got the overtime point in three of those defeats.

On Thursday night, the Panthers -- fittingly enough -- will play host to the Penguins at the BB&T Center in their first home game since Gallant was dumped.  (More via Yahoo! Sports/AP)

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Last game by the Cats: 3-2 (OT) loss at Philly on Tuesday. Past five: 1-1-3 (streak: 3L)

Last game by the Pens: 8(!)-5 victory over Ottawa Monday. Past five: 4-1-0 (streak: 3W)

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Thursday in the Atlantic Division (Standings / Panthers Playoff Chances):

• Colorado (9-14-1 19P) at BOSTON (15-10-2 32P), 7:00
• New Jersey (12-7-6 30P) at MONTREAL (17-6-3 37P), 7:30
• Vancouver (11-13-2 24P) at TAMPA BAY (14-11-2 30P), 7:30
• Idle:  OTW (34P), DET (29P), BUF (26P). TOR (25P)/

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