On Monday afternoon the Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils in what you could call a "winnin' ugly" victory.
After going up 1-0 quickly, courtesy of Huberdeau, the Cats fell apart. It seemed like it was 4-1 NJ in the blink of an eye. Lax play, poor decisions, over-passing, defensive lapses and more were on Florida's menu. It felt like there was no way they would be able to come back. Losing to the struggling Devils seemed inevitable - and concerning!
Then the tide started to change. Connolly got the the hot stick and netted two. Then it was Weegar's turn. Then Acciari and lastly Dadonov. The dreaded three-goal lead was a real thing for New Jersey that afternoon as the game ended 6-4.
So what was the key to the comeback?
The overall factor (to me) came down to one thing: Desperation
This has been a key asset in a number of games for the Panthers so far. Whether it's a slow start in the first, or they come apart in the second or third, desperation seems to be what kicks them into gear - even if they end up losing.
Playing with desperation can be a powerful tool, but it can't/shouldn't be what's relied on every night.
The Cats need to channel the desperation mindset into a 60 minute effort; come out with that pace and maintain it from puck drop. When they're in that zone, everything seems to fall into place. Everyone's moving their feet, they're controlling the puck, shots are getting to the net and the game is in control.
So...How Do They Do It?
I think the key is playing simple. Less is always more and I believe this to be especially true in hockey.
Q is trying to instill this playing style and I think it's slowly (but surely) beginning to take shape, but there's still a number of areas that are preventing this style of play from being able to grab hold. Some of them were kind of glaring in the NJ game:
Defense/Turnovers (Yandle): Broken record here, folks...
Passing: At some point, someone needs to be selfish and put the puck on.
Sure, they've been outshooting their opponents in the last few games, but they've wasted a number of really, really good/high quality opportunities by trying to be too cute and force passes that have no chance of getting through. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to see a guy have a clear lane and chose to drop the puck 10-15 feet backwards...If I'm Q, I'm tell everyone to be a little more like Vatrano...
#5: Ekblad has looked better to me the past couple games, but I noticed during the Devils game that he seemed to hesitate in the offensive zone. There was a number of opportunities for him to let it rip, but sometimes he would wait before taking the shot and this allowed NJ to setup and clog the lane - either preventing his shot, forcing him to pass, blocking it or making him dump it down low. I'd like to see him quicker in terms of his decision making.
Borgy the Ghost: Borgy has a ton of potential and we've seen it in flashes, but, for some reason, he's been a ghost on the ice. He hasn't had that "break out" that we've thought he would have. I think he's not making a strong case for himself with the opportunities he's been given. He needs to prove he belongs in the lineup, or step aside and let someone who can be more consistent step in. This will help immensely. I'd rather see Hawryluk in there to provide a consistently physical game.
The Power Play: Where has it been? Yes, they converted on one, but overall they went 1/5 Monday. Yikes...
The Positives
Of course the biggest positive of Monday was the fact that they came back to win. But here are a couple other quick hit positives to build off of heading into Friday:
1. Connolly seems to be heating up. If you haven't noticed him, I don't blame you. He hasn't been on the the scoresheet until Monday. Seeing him score twice is an encouraging thing - especially since some of the other guys that should be scoring, aren't.
2. Can't praise that fourth line enough. Man...I love watching those guys! Rats mentioned how Acciari is becoming a fan favorite, and why shouldn't he? All he (and Hunt/Scevs) do is put out max effort and work hard. Who doesn't like to see that?
3. Dryden Hunt: Piggybacking off the above mention of the fourth line, Hunt has been awesome. There's a reason Q loves this kid and it's because he's bringing the type of game the stache wants to see on the ice (see earlier in blog). Mr. North-South keeps it simple and drives hard to the net. What I love about him is that he's not trying to be or do anything outside of his skillset. He knows his ability and role and plays it well. Let the skilled guys dangle and dipsy-doodle, Hunt will take care of the hard work.
4. It was good to see Bob stay mentally tough and hang in the game after allowing four goals in a row. It's not an easy thing, but he stuck it out.
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Let's build off this win and keep in rolling...go Panthers!
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