Florida Panthers: Missed Chances Cost the Cats Two Points
After pulling off a comeback against the Islanders last Wednesday, the Florida Panthers were heading into New Jersey looking to extend their win streak by two.
The Florida Panthers came out strong to start the game but found it rather difficult beating Devils netminder Keith Kinkaid.
The Cats peppered him with shots early on, but no matter how many shots they threw at him, Kinkaid was there to shut the door and keep the game scoreless.
Kinkaid’s stellar play eventually led to the Devils scoring first. Off a point shot, Kyle Palmieri caught a piece of it off his body, which ended up trickling in.
On the play, however, you see some contact made between Palmieri and Reimer. Coach Boughner uses his coach’s challenge to challenge the call, but after looking at it closer, the call remains (a good goal).
Early in the second, Taylor Hall gave the home side a two-goal cushion. Digging the puck out of the corner was Kyle Palmieri who walked in and fed an open Hall a pass. Hall quickly then snapped a shot which went over Reimer’s blocker and in.
Things got worse ten minutes later as Blake Coleman tripled his side’s lead. Out in front, Coleman tipped Mueller’s point shot home.
The Panthers rallied back in the third with goals from Matheson and Hoffman, respectively. Although, it wasn’t enough to gain a point as the Cats fell a goal short to the New Jersey Devils, 3-2.
In an event like this where the Panthers didn’t play too bad, you wonder… where did they go wrong? It’s simple. Lack of execution is what cost the Cats.
More from Editorials
- Best Panthers prop bets for Stanley Cup Final Game 3
- Best Panthers NHL prop bets for Stanley Cup Final Game 2
- Panthers prop bets for Stanley Cup Final Game 1
- Panthers Get An Early Christmas Present From NHL
- Panthers vs. Flyers: Players to watch closely
Creating chances doesn’t seem to be a problem for the Panthers. What seems to be the underlying issue from time to time is execution.
The Panthers created a plethora amount of scoring chances this afternoon but failed to cash in on them. Starting with Vincent Trocheck, the 25-year-old centerman rang a wrister off the crossbar and struck out on a breakaway.
His shot off the crossbar isn’t in his control as he beats Kinkaid clean, but the shot was just a couple of inches over from ending up top-shelf. Luck plays a role in that.
His breakaway opportunity, however, is a chance he has to bury. All alone (1-on-1) with Keith Kinkaid, most would pick Vinnie to come out on top. But that time – he didn’t – as he fanned on the shot.
Evgeni Dadonov also had the opportunity to put his name on the scoreboard through a 2-on-1 chance with Aleksander Barkov.
While skating in on goal, Dadonov waits, waits, waits until he reaches Kinkaid from in close, but ends up popping a shot over the net. With real-estate like this, you really have to score.
Keith Yandle was also a victim to the post in this match as the puck just didn’t seem to want to go in. In this particular scenario, the puck goes off Kinkaid’s shoulder and hits the post. Hockey can be a game of inches sometimes and this play perfectly shows that.
But apart from some of the unlucky breaks the Cats received, they had other clear-cut chances that they didn’t capitalize on.
And even though they made some costly defensive mistakes that resulted in a couple of goals, these missed chances surely would’ve been the difference maker had they cashed in on them.
Next. Three Stars in Comeback Victory Against the Islanders. dark
Your Florida Panthers take the trip to Helsinki, Finland to take on the Winnipeg Jets in a two-game series. Game #1 is on Thursday, Nov. 2 @ 2 P.M.