Matt Ross: Statement Made: #60 Plays Solid

Yes, first shutout, and first win in any way, for a goalie in his first NHL start as a Panther goalie. Think I heard Goldie say there were four previous.

Matt Ross: Statement Made: #60 Plays Solid
- Matt Ross

Message received, kickstart engaged.
The Panthers can play better defensively! Last night proves it. Driedger was money, but that was the easiest night a Panthers goalie has had in a long time. Driedger calmly and cooly made the saves, and made it easier on the D by just freezing everything. Puck hit him in the chest/stomach all night, very well positioned. Gotta let him start again next game.
My boy Vinny was noticeable last night. LoL, before he dished it out from behind the net to Stralman for the second goal, it looked like he was gonna try the lacrosse move, but the puck fell off his stick and the chance was gone.

Matt Ross: Statement Made: #60 Plays Solid
- Matt Ross

Driedger played lights out and looked like a poised veteran. I was impressed by his solid positioning and how pucks seemed to melt into his gear. No rebound chaos last night. The boys let him see the shots that they forced from outside. No screens or free guys to tip pucks in, no forgotten men standing all alone in front. No careless turnovers leading to breakaways or 2on1s. If they put that kind of effort in while playing in front of Bob...maybe Bob wouldn't feel he had to be perfect and could settle down and just play goalie. Bob seems to get in trouble when he's thinking too much. ESP-like anticipation seems to turn into random guessing. He's maybe now worried about where he puts the rebound and ends up missing the save. Bob just seems to be thinking a lot, instead of just doing. Support from his team like they showed they are capable of last night would go a long way to settling Bob down.
A brilliant move by Q to let Bob sit, it was needed. But, Bob didn't morph into Depietro over the summer. The wake up call was for the team as a whole, as much as it is for Bob. Driedger had to deal with none of the shoddiness in front of him that Bob has seen so frequently. If they play like that in front of Bob I bet he'll look more like Vezina Bob rather quickly.

Edit; saw the "heat map" from the game, it looks very different from others I remember seeing so far this season. Nothing much from in close on Driedger. The boys can play defense.
https://twitter.com/projp...tatus/1200963495640080384

Hahaha i also think vinnie t was going for the michigan move. Totally saw that he was attempting it. Oh well it paid off anyway

A little shocked to not see anything about the high hit on Barkov last night from Dumba… seemed like head hit to me but nothing in the news that I have come across

A little shocked to not see anything about the high hit on Barkov last night from Dumba… seemed like head hit to me but nothing in the news that I have come across
- Shynes57

The bigger question is why didn’t someone do something

The bigger question is why didn’t someone do something
- harveykline

Mostly because they were down a goal and it was getting late in the game. He drilled Barky, and threw the hit with an upward motion, and maybe left his feet before contact. But I think he hit him in the chest, not the head. At the most, two minutes for charging. I'd like to see a Panther playing D separate someone from the puck like that...