The Florida Panthers dropped their second game in a row after suffering a 4-3 loss at the hands of the Flyers in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
This new-look Cats team faces its first skid of the young 2022-23 season as the group learns Maurice’s system, as well as the tendencies and playing styles of each other.
An encouraging factor from Thursday night was that all three goals for Florida came from the backend. While it’s good to see the defense contributing to the offensive side of things, on the flip side, one wonders when we’ll see some consistent scoring from the top lines of this Cats team. Need these guys to start finishing.
One of the key difference-makers for the Flyers win was goaltender Cart Hart, who came up with some huge saves throughout the course of the game. Not only that, but Hart faced 51 shots from Florida, turning away 48 of them. I have to admit, I was digging his pads setup. They had a very 2000’s vibe to them.
And so the 4-3-1 “sliding” Panthers will take on a 4-3-0 Senators team in a matinee game today.
Ottawa made some serious waves this off-season when they acquired the young/super talented (and 40-goal scorer) Alex DeBrincat from Chicago and a number of other players (including Claude Giroux) to bolster their rebuilding team.
This Senators team has many wondering if they’ll surprise and make the playoffs this year. Prior to their 4-2 loss to Minnesota earlier this week, Ottawa had won four-in-a-row.
Similar to the Chicago game, the Panthers need to be careful here and not let the Sens steal one from them at home. Ottawa is averaging 3.86 goals per game, and like the Hawks, aren’t playing exactly like a rebuilding team. With the Cats looking to snap a two-game skid, they would be smart to not take this game lightly.
Florida needs to start:
1. Start on time
2. Continue the offense generated from the back (really liking the Mahura pickup)
3. Get the top lines in a groove
I agree with Staal here on the idea of the importance of consistently putting out the kind effort they did against the Flyers and it’s payoff in the long run:
See you guys this afternoon…
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Go Panthers!
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