After the Boston game and then Saturday’s win against Montreal, I couldn’t help but think of Leonard Nimoy’s appearance in the monorail episode of the Simpsons.
Just replace “A solar eclipse” with “A Panthers win” and the playoff ballet continues for Florida.
Despite the loss to Boston, the Cats were true to Weegar’s word and stepped up defensively - though fell short in the goals department. This defensive play carried over to the win against Montreal, too.
Not only did the blue liners tighten things up, but the overall team defense seemed to be improved, with forwards getting back to help out, etc.
The biggest difference in my opinion?
#60 - “Mr. Steady” Chris Driedger
When he got the nod to go start against the Bruins, I thought he was toast. To be out for multiple weeks and come back and have to face the best team in the league..? No chance.
I was proved wrong.
I should have known better based on Driedger’s past performances. He seems to have calming effect for this team and in turn, the guys in front of him play a lot better.
I think a major reason for this is that he always seems poised - which I’m sure is a product of his mindset, but also sound positioning. You rarely (if ever) see him scrambling or flopping around. On top of that, I think his puck/rebound control has always been good. While he’s not perfect, he does a really nice job of soaking up shots or directing pucks away from dangerous areas during play. Great rebound control. If I had to compare him and Bob, I would say Driedger is more mechanical in his approach - relying on his angles and positioning. He’s not flashy, but more “boring” (not a bad thing) when compared to goalies who rely more on athleticism to make up for a less mechanical approach.
This is just my opinion from my own eye test perspective, but watching Bob this year has him falling more into that atheism category to me. He has tremendous body control and is capable of making some amazing saves, but there’s been a lot of games where he just seems off from a technical standpoint - letting in goals from bad angles, etc. Just as those blunders can be covered up by a solid defense in front of you, they can be exposed by a weaker defense like Florida’s.
The style of goalie doesn’t matter. What matters is results and getting the job done...and that’s why I think the Panthers have a legitimate goalie controversy right now.
You can argue that they’ve had a controversy pretty much all season with Bob. But that’s a different kind of controversy. One that involves dollar signs and expectations not being lived up to.
The goalie controversy I’m talking about is more of a legitimate, “who do you play” one.
To me it’s obvious. You ride Driedger as far as he’ll carry you. He’s always played better in my opinion. Some will argue you stay with Bob because he’s supposed to be the #1 and he’s getting paid a lot of money to do so. I’m sure that’s what the front office is thinking. But he’s been beat out by #60 in my book and has lost the starter spot.
Pretty wild how a guy making $850,000 this season and next season, is looking better than the guy you’re paying $10 M for the next six years...but that’s the way the cookie crumbles and the reality is that they may flip spots again as their level of play changes.
I think at this time, in this important stretch of the season, you need to go with the hot hand and that’s #60. He gives you the best chance of winning with Bob having probably the worst year of his career, carrying a 3.23 GAA, .900% Sv% in 50 games.
#1 in the Rafters
In other goalie news, the Panthers had a nice ceremony prior to Saturday’s game in which they retired Roberto Luongo’s #1. He is the first player in Florida’s history to have his number retired.
I thought Lu gave a great speech and had a number of really inspiring things to say in the interview leading up to the game. He’s just as determined to win from the front office as he was on the ice. A true hockey guy.
From the Panthers website:
After manning the crease for 19 seasons in the NHL -- including parts of 11 with the Panthers -- Luongo officially hung up his skates on June 26, 2019, finishing his career ranking second in NHL history in games played by a goalie (1,044), third in wins (489) and ninth in shutouts (77).
An icon both north and south of the Canadian border, the Montreal native remains one of just two goaltenders in NHL history to earn 200 wins with two different franchises, racking up 230 victories with Florida and 252 more with Vancouver - both of which stand as franchise records.
This night, however, was just about the Panthers. From the mini banners that adorned the seats to the custom "Rumberto Luongo" cocktail that fans sipped on throughout the night, the pre-game festivities were centered around the No. 1.
"When I was a kid, being No. 1 meant being No. 1, just being the best at everything," said Luongo, who was originally drafted by the New York Islanders with the fourth-overall pick in 1997. "I tried to be the best at everything I did. No. 1 in your programs, No. 1 in your hearts."
Enjoy Lu's first Panthers win:
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The Cats take on the Blues tonight, who sits atop the Central Division and Western Conference as a whole (gross). Florida should have the advantage in the legs department as STL is coming off a win over Chicago (double gross).
It should be an interesting one, as the Blues are a heavy, but skilled team. The Panthers should be ready for a real battle and will need to be sharp in the faceoff department as Ryan O’Reilly is a real specialist there.
At this point, the Cats need to empty the tank each night. Don’t think about saving yourself for the next game, just pour it out every night.
Florida Panthers Blogger • 
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