Shots Here and Shots There don’t equate to Shots On Goal, as the Cats learned quickly on an evening where seemingly every attempt made at the Rangers’ net went decidedly elsewhere.
Tomas Vokoun continued his exceptional play, stopping 27 shots while Radek Dvorak – not necessarily a name you’d look for in leading a club to victory – was all over the ice, during even-strength and penalty-killing minutes alike. His team-leading 4 shots and 19:57 TOI only add to his resume. But he can’t do it alone, as was proven by the full-moon madness of Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss, neither unable to bowl for dollars when it counted.
Dominic Moore, diminutive though he may be, banged in his second goal of the season late in the third period to tie the game at one and save the opportunity to gain a point in the standings. An earlier goal by the Rangers’ Marian Gaborik was now effectively negated. Until Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau became the only scorer in the post-post-regulation period, anyway.
New York’s Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves, but it was the shots missed that told the story, regardless of the outcome. Oh yeah, he also plugged Reinprecht, Horton, and Weiss in the shootout. There’s that.
Give them this: the Panthers made it interesting. And later is preferable to never. It wasn’t two points, but sure beats the tar out of zero.
Lots to come tomorrow, including What the Panthers are Thankful For. Be there, and have a great remainder of the evening.