Struck By Lightning!

Not much to say here regarding last night’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Even though the Panthers scored first on a shortie by Radek Dvorak to take the lead, they gave up a powerplay goal with less than two minutes left in the first and allowed Tampa back into the game.  The second period provided some false hope as Nathan Horton scored the lone goal giving Florida a 2-1 lead going into the final frame.

Now, all we needed to do was push alittle harder, play a solid twenty minutes and get a road victory and change our attitudes.  Right?  Wrong!  At 7:17 of the third Martin St. Louis tied the game on another power play goal and you could just feel the momentum swing.  Up to that point the Lightning were actually scrambling and looking a bit confused.  But as the Panthers always seem to do, they gave the opposition an opportunity to take the game from them.  And they did.  When David Booth missed on a breakaway, Steven Stamkos picked up the loose puck, skated down the wing and took a shot off Panther goalie Tomas Vokoun.  Vokoun was able to get his body in front of most of it, however, the puck trickled past him, and lay on the ice.  While at least three Panthers were standing around probably discussing what time they are golfing today, Lightning forward Ryan Malone skated by and tapped the puck in for the eventual game winner.  Game over, even though there was more than five minutes left.

Observations:  The Panthers have been outshot 193-128.  They have been outscored 20-10.  The forwards can’t keep the puck in the offensive zone for more than 10 seconds.  David Booth missed 2 breakaway chances.  He has to make at least one of those.  Little Stevie (Weiss) missed an open net and hit the cross bar.  Kamil Kreps had 3 chances, but buried the puck in Nittymaki’s pads.  Our second line seems non-existent.  The only memorable thing about them is Frolik taking 3 really dumb ass penalties the game before against New Jersey.  Is Cory Stillman still playing for us?  Our defencemen insist on chipping the puck out instead of passing or, god forbid, skating it out!  And last but not least, there is absolutely no physicality at all!  How about actually finishing a check boys?  You know, hit somebody!

We can no longer rely on Nathan Horton to salvage this team and hope that he provides the spark that we need.  Tomas Vokoun, while I like him doesn’t deserve to be going through this.  He is much better.  Package Horton, Vokoun and Little Stevie, and get a goal scorer and someone’s backup goalie.  Even Martin Biron would be a good compliment to Scott Clemmensen.  And guess what Alan Cohen, Biron’s contract is pretty friggin cheap this year!!!

Cheers!

Tags: florida panthers, nathan horton, stephen weiss, tampa bay lightning, tomas vokoun