These Florida Felines Look More Like Kittens Than Panthers

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Less than two minutes into the first period of the Panthers' Wednesday night game against the Sabres, goalie Scott Clemmensen had already been put to the sword twice and was now reeled back-in by coach Peter DeBoer for the early hook.

Tomas Vokoun fared little better in that first period. In fact, he fared a little worse…

Three more goals from a Buffalo team vigorously crashing the net, one of which was a Vokoun own goal (!), and the Florida hosts looked decidedly more like kittens than the more ferocious panther.

And yes, the stats lie. Not the scoreline mind you. But rather, the other stats that would make the uninitiated think that Florida may have dominated this game.

That couldn’t be further from the shocking truth: The Panthers didn’t show up for this game and were dismantled from the very first drop of the puck.

The only reason the Cats could perhaps fool the avid stat-tracker is that Sabres cooled off considerably after that 5-1 first period drubbing. They looked like they were out for a routine practice session and threw the Panthers a late bone of conciliation.

And so the game fizzled out in a 5-2 comprehensive victory for the visitors.

Not what the fans that had turned up had expected exactly. Not least after that impressive win over the Flyers on Friday, which ignited a little hope with the beleaguered hockey fans of South Florida.

The comment of my better half really sums up what many-a-fan was thinking when watching the game: “I waited anxiously for four days, and this is what we get!?”

It truly was a disgraceful performance from the Panthers.

As a fan, it is hard not to get overly emotional after such an appalling first period effort from the Cats. Yes, we’ve seen this before. But even though the Panthers haven’t been one of the better teams since their early heyday, they have nonetheless been a team hard to break down for most opponents in recent years.

Not so—this time around—it seems.

Beaten 4-0 by Chicago, 7-2 by Carolina, and now 5-2 versus Buffalo…and had the latter not let up on the gas after the first period, it might as well have ended 15-3.

OK, enough wallowing in misery. I amply did that last night. Hence, my sore head this morning.

All the same, the Panthers are now two wins and five losses into the season, and look as fragile as a crackled Ming-dynasty vase.

It is clear that a determined opponent can dismantle this Florida team at will.

The two wins were both against teams (Chicago and Philadelphia) that had bad nights in those respective games. They were both rusty coming into those contests and the Cats could eventually scratch out the victories, but not without a lot of effort, mind you.

So, what is lacking in this Florida team?

Well, Richard Zednik for one, Karlis Skrastins for another. And that’s not even mentioning Jay Bouwmeester…

Zednik may have been an enigmatic skater at times and distressingly irregular, but when he scored, it was goals that went against the flow of the game. It was not merely beautiful goals, but momentum-changing goals that could, and often did, flip a game on its head.

There is no Zednik on this year’s roster. No one to unlock an opposing team that has the Cats cornered on the ropes, gasping for air.

There has of yet not emerged a Skrastins on the team, either. An ironman defender that sacrifices his body at every occasion and that always plays his heart out. And in so doing, inspires others to follow suit.

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