Wrap-up
Division games are usually the most important games for any team. They present the opportunity to get two points while preventing a main competitor from getting any at the same time. However, the division games of February and March will not matter if the Panthers fall behind in the standings in January.
One thing to keep in mind is that unlike games against the east, it doesn’t affect the Panthers if a team from the west gets zero, one, or two points. Obviously, Florida’s players, coaches, and fans would love to see the Cats win all five of these games in regulation.
However, considering the class of the opponents that probably isn’t realistic. If the Panthers can get points in all of the next five games, even if they don’t always win, that would still go a long way towards keeping the Panthers in the hunt for a possible playoff berth.
Next: Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov have been playing amongst the league’s best