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Two In A Row: Panthers Beat Preds 4-2 |
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By: Matt Ross
The Cats have clawed their way out of a seven-game losing streak by winning their last two games. What makes this two-game winning streak impressive is that, aside from the fact they were back-to-back nights, they were against two of the NHL’s best teams – the first win coming against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Friday) and last night’s win against the Nashville Predators.
It was nice to see a complete game from the this group while handling the Preds on the road.
Starting from the beginning…
There’s a lot of truth to that old adage of the dreaded two-goal (or three) lead in hockey. Leads like this often result in a team taking their foot off the gas, while allowing the opposition to creep back into the game. It’s especially true when you get two or three goals earlier like the Panthers did - two in the first and another in the second. Credit to Florida for holding strong and not turning the game over even when the Preds made a serious push in the third to make it 3-2.
James Reimer was fantastic in the blue paint, stopping 37 of the 39 shots he faced. This is the kind of level he needs to play at every night he gets the nod. He played with a lot of confidence and was often on top of his crease making himself look big to shooters and cutting down the angles – reducing the amount of net they had to shoot at. He moved nicely in the crease as he read and predicted developing plays – great anticipation. He was simply in the zone.
Reimer’s stellar play aside, what was vital was that all four lines for the Panthers were rolling. This is the complete effort (from top to bottom) that this team needs in order to continue finding success. The fourth line in particular was key. There’s nothing more frustrating for an opposing team than a fourth line that you have no answer for. Last night, Jared McCann, Jayce Hawryluk and Colton Sceviour grabbed their lunch pales and went to work. They pressured Nashville by generating a number of offensive opportunities and made sure to get bodies to the net. It was this kind of play that saw McCann get rewarded twice for his/their efforts. The first came at 15:55 of the first period when Aaron Ekblad scored from the point on the PP. Who was in front of the net screening Juuse Saros? McCann was.
Then at 8:22 in the third, the fourth line went to work down low where McCann tipped in a shot from Sceviour. This was a crucial goal as it not only put the Panthers up 4-2, but it also served as a dagger of sorts to the Preds’ surge.
It’s important to note that Sceviour bagged two assists and Hawryluk notched himself one – helping that fourth line shine.
You can’t talk about last night’s game and not mention Vincent Trochek. He’s been the shot in the arm this Panthers team needs and it’s obvious he’s the difference maker right now. His three points in two games (an assist against Toronto and a goal and assist tonight) makes it hard to believe he’s coming off a 27-game absence due to a serious injury. He hasn’t skipped a beat and his speed, vision and hands are as crisp as ever.
The Panthers face the Sharks tomorrow night before the All-Star break. It would be nice to add a third win to this streak before things pick back up in the regular season.
Potential Keys to Success Moving Forward:
• Continue strong starts - this helps put the opposition on their heels early
• Production from “Big Cats” - guys like Ekblad, Trochek, Barkov, Bjugstad, Huberdeau, Yandle, Vatrano and Dadonov need to find the back of the net often
• Stand tall in the blue paint – Reimer and Luongo have to play with confidence
• Team defense – doesn’t matter who you are, you need to get back and help out. Luongo isn’t getting any younger and has battled injuries all season, while Reimer has been streaky. A goalie situation like this requires all hands on deck to help out and suppress offensive opportunities in your own end.
• One shift at a time – as cliché as it is, each line needs to work hard every shift. This team needs to look at each shift, not each game, in order to stay on track. It doesn’t matter the opponent, focus on winning your shift.
All for now.
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