Inside The Boxscore. I Hate Shootouts!
By Frank Rekas
I’ve said this once or twice before. Or maybe about 124 times. I hate shootouts. Not because the Florida Panthers rarely win them them, but because I want the final score decided by the team. Not by two guys trying to outsmart each other. As far as I’m concerned when we (Panthers) don’t win the game in regulation or during the five minute overtime, and we head to the shootout…..save the electricity, save the Zamboni water, and just concede it.
I’m kinda tired seeing our boys fluff a backhander into a goaltenders chest the way Rusty Olesz used to do. I go crazy when Stephen Weiss gets too close to shoot and loses control of the puck and it gets poked away. It’s mind boggling how they guy with the hot hand sometimes doesn’t get a chance to show his stuff. Even thought I thought the goal that was scored by Maksim Mayroov was a beauty, just don’t bother.
Mayorov playing in only his third NHL game this season (ninth overall) was given a chance by Columbus Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel, and the kid took advantage of it. Good for him as he ripped, or rifled, or threw a laser beam towards Panthers goaltender Scott Clemmensen, which stood up as the winning goal for the Jackets. The loss was the sixth in a row for Florida as they went winless on this five game road trip. The victory snapped Columbus’s home losing streak of six games.
Clemmensen made 30 saves for the Panthers as he started in place of Tomas Vokoun who’s wonky back kept him out of the lineup. I’m beginning to wonder if the Panthers and Vokoun have decided to shut it down for the remainder of the season. If so, you also have to wonder if we have seen the last of Vokoun, who has played well enough to win more than he has this season, yet is clearly frustrated by another year of futility. Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason made 29 saves, and even though the kid has had an up and down year, he’s only 22 years old, and I’m thinking if he can regain his form from his rookie season, Columbus has a bright future in net. By the way, all three of Florida’s shooters were snuffed in the shootout.
The two teams have combined for only five wins since the trade deadline and have lost 23 games between them. I said yesterday that the game was meaningless, but in honesty it’s not. with each loss the Panthers get themselves closer to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and a lotto pick in this years upcoming draft. Pete DeBoer had this to say after the game:
"“We looked like we were playing our fifth game in seven nights,” Panthers coach Peter DeBoer said. “It was a real gutsy effort by our group. The last game of a road trip that hasn’t been easy.”"
Mary O’Malley our lead writer over at Fire That Cannon was at the game herself last night with 12 year old Blue Jacket prospect Ethan.. She ran into a couple of transplanted Panther fans as well. She enjoyed the game as her seats were great, and I think that Ethan may even have gone home with a game puck. Good for them!
Here’s the TSN boxscore.
The Cats come home finally for a sizzling matchup Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators. Get your seats now as #theroadto30th continues. Don’t bring any confetti though.
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