Thanks Ref!

I never like to balme a loss on one call or one play. It should never come down to that, but in last night’s Penguins-Panthers game that’s ultimately what it came down to. In overtime no less as Panther forward
Nathan Horton was called for high sticking just after overtime started.  In looking at the reply I would say that it was a very poor time to make such a call and ruined what was a hard fought battle between these two teams.  Horton who was in the Penguins zone was pushed from behind by defenceman Brooks Orpik and as Horton fell to the ice, his stick came up and clipped Orpik.  Purely accidental.  I know that a player must control his stick and he must be responsible for it, but that was a very poor call, and on top of it it was 4 minute penalty.  Which meant that for the remainder of the overtime period the Panthers would play one man short.  I think that 4 minutes was kind of stiff, and it was not done with intent to injure.

This is one reason why I don’t like 5 minute overtimes.  The NHL needs to reconsider the times on penalties in these overtime periods.  Cut them in half would be a good start since the period is so short.  Or go back to a full twenty minute period.  Personally I think that too many times teams just try to survive the OT just to get to the shootout.

This was also the second time in two meetings that the Panthers took a 2-0 lead into the third against the Penguins and ended up losing the game 3-2, and in both games Cindy Crosbitch scored the winning goal.  Last time he scored in the shootout, and last night he scored while waiting  just near the faceoff circle eating a slice of quiche lorraine, and put the winner past Tomas Vokoun, who once again was excellent in goal.

It started out to be a rough night for Cindy as he was called for two minor penalties in the first ten minutes of the opening period.  However the NHL figured out a way to allow Cindy to redeem himself and made the call against Horton giving the Penguins the man advantage in OT.

For most of the game the Panthers outplayed Pittsburgh, but it was in the third period that you could almost feel the tide changing especially when Pascal Dupuis scored at 4:49 of the third on a shot that bounced off Vokoun and ended up going behind him and into the net.  The game was tied up when Michael Rupp scored with 2:32 left in regulation.  Defenceman Keith Ballard of the Panthers admitted after the game that they felt like they were hanging on.  The results of course indicated that as the Panthers could only muster 3 shots in the  final frame as it appeared that once again the Uncle Jack prevent defence reared it’s ugly head.

If you want to be a playoff team, these are the types of games that you must win.  Focus, mental toughness, and knowing when to step on the gas, are all attributes of winning teams.  This is something the Panthers must learn hnow to do.

Last night was also the first night of the Panthers showing off their new 3rd sweaters which they will wear another dozen times this year.  In what resembles the North Carolina Tar Heels, I have to say that they are sporty, but I’m not so sure that I like the baby blue.  What do you think?

Next up a rematch against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers.