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Cats Go Wild for Monty's First Win |
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A big Ric Flair "WOO!" to the Panthers last night.
That's how you do it, boys!
It feels nice to write a blog about a win for a change.
Florida did everything they were supposed to do (and how we wish they would have been playing all season) last night when the Minnesota Wild came into town. They grabbed the lead and never took the foot off the gas to beat the Wild 6-2.
A lot of dudes showing up on the scoresheet, too:
Huberdeau (1G, 3A)
Weegar (2G)
Hoffman (1G)
Matheson (2G)
Barkov (5G)
Major stick taps to Barkov for being the first player in Panthers history to record five assists in one night. His first five-point game now places him in the ranks with past Panthers David Booth, Brett McLean, Olli Jokinen and Pavel Bure. The guy is unbelievable.
But the night belonged to Monty - who recorded his first career win. Similar to his game against the HUrricanes, I liked what I saw from him again. He came up with some big saves and showed nice poise, turning away 25 of 27 shots. The win has a lot of fans ready for him to take over next year.
I'd pump the brakes a bit...
While I really like him, the sample size (two games) is microscopic. Yes, he looks to have potential, but I think a better situation would be if they bring in a veteran goalie this summer (assuming the rumors are true with one or both Lu and Reimer being done in Florida) and let Monty function in a backup role to get some experience under his belt.
This is the time, and type of season, to play him now. But when next year rolls around, I'd like to see him learning the ropes in a backup role - provided they have the right situation where that would make sense.
Regardless...congrats on your first win, Monty! Also...loved hearing the crowd chant his name. Awesome stuff.
Last night was the all-around effort for 60 minutes that we've been wanting this team to put out every night. While the playoff odds are about as slim as they get, the win against Minnesota was a snippet into what this team can be and it's encouraging.
I think with some tweaks to areas we discuss frequently (namely coaching), these guys could be trending upwards nicely next year.
The Brown Cow
If you didn't see the clip, Trocheck was mic'd up for the game and at one point referred to Josh Brown as "Brown Cow."
Last blog I wrote about how Sheahan is my favorite forward on the Panthers. As a defenseman myself (glamorous mens league career), I've always gravitated to this side of the game - it's what I love.
As such, Brown is my favorite defenseman on the Cats (I'm also a Pysyk guy). Brown Cow is my ideal player on the backend and he plays the exact game I like.
A bigger dude who uses his "limited skills" (as some call it) not only to his advantage , but to the team's overall success in my opinion. The Panthers have a plethora of guys that want to rush the puck up from the backend or jump in offensively. There's a serious need for a defensive-minded guy with a simplified game. We say that all the time.
I like him along the boards, using his body and looking to make the easy/smart pass/play. No need for end-to-end rushes or fancy stuff. He just plays it like it is. Brown is and will continue to be that guy to me and I think a very important piece to this team's future success.
Speaking of the future...
The Panthers added to their depth by making a signing yesterday:
Serron Noel
Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 6'5" , 210 lb
Position: Forward
Current Team: Oshawa Generals
Drafted: FLA 2018 2nd Round (34th overall)
Deal: 3-Year, Entry-Level Contract
Dale Tallon:
"Serron is a highly skilled, hard-working, young player who we believe has the potential to be an excellent power forward for the Panthers for many years to come", said Tallon. "At just 18 years of age, his impressive combination of size, speed and character are qualities that have helped him excel this season in Oshawa. We are thrilled to have signed Serron and look forward to his development with the Panthers."
In over 187 OHL games, he has 149 points (68G, 81A).
See you guys tomorrow when the Panthers faceoff against the fledgeling Detroit Red Wings.
Go Cats!
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