Florida Panthers Drop Fourth Consecutive Preseason Game, 5-4 in SO

After dropping the Kraft Hockeyville game the other night, the Florida Panthers were back at it against the same foe.

The Florida Panthers were met with an energized Canadiens team. The Habs came flying out the gates early on, pouring a ridiculous amount of pressure in the Panthers’ end.

Their efforts were rewarded early on, with Jordan Weal opening up the scoring for the home side. Weal drove out wide and tucked a shot underneath Sam Montembeault’s pad – a shot Montembeault would love to have back.

The Habs continued to buzz and even had two power-play opportunities, but both were killed off successfully from the Panthers’ PK unit.

As the period progressed, so did the Panthers’ play. With more intensity and jump in their game, the Panthers found their equalizer through forward Owen Tippett.

Jonathan Ang danced his way into the Habs’ zone, feeding Tippett on the wing, who proceeded to snipe a shot over Carey Price’s blocker.

In the second, the Panthers picked up where they left off. The Canadiens, while playing around with the puck in their own end, coughed up the puck around the slot which Anthony Greco picked up and slotted home to give the Panthers their first lead of the game.

Shortly after, Jonathan Ang doubled the Cats’ lead. After receiving a stretch pass from Joel Lowry, Ang skated in and slid a shot between Price’s pad.

Although, from there on, the Panthers instantly collapsed. Brendan Gallagher outmuscled Lowry right in front and stuffed home a loose puck to give the Habs new life.

Brett Kulak evened the game at three after redirecting Nick Suzuki’s pass past Montembeault. In a matter of minutes, the Canadiens went from two goals down to suddenly being even at three.

But the Habs didn’t stop there. With ample amount of time left in the second period, Artturi Lehkonen threw a pass to Montembeault’s crease, which Gallagher tipped home to regain the Canadiens’ lead, 4-3.

In the third, the Panthers turned it around, displaying more jump offensively. On the power play, Vincent Trocheck threaded a beautiful pass to Brett Connolly, who simply tapped home the game’s tying goal.

Both teams went back and forth throughout the remainder of the third, but neither could break the deadlock, which meant that overtime was needed to settle this contest.

In extra time, Florida and Montreal each exchanged chances at both ends of the rink, but their respective netminders stood tall to deny every chance.

With the game still tied, a shootout was needed to decide a winner. Montreal stepped up calm and collectively, delivering on all three of their shootout attempts.

Other the hand, the Panthers were only successful once, with Vincent Trocheck scoring the lone shootout goal for the Cats. Florida would drop their fourth preseason game consecutively, losing 5-4 in a shootout to Montreal.

In all honesty, the Panthers didn’t deserve to win the game. They were outplayed by a team that was hungrier and more determined from the minute the puck was dropped.

Your Florida Panthers are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 21 against the Dallas Stars at 8 P.M., looking to win their first game of the preseason.