SUNRISE, Fla. -- A couple new additions appeared in the Florida Panthers locker room this week, and they weren't necessarily the three players acquired at the trade deadline.
Adorning the once blank walls of the team's weight room are five large signs in Panthers colors with a motivational saying on each: Details. Team Unity. Accountability. Perseverance. Sacrifice.
The effort rings hollow, though, especially with 15 games left in the season. Florida has now lost eight of its last 11 and is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season. The Panthers are seven points behind eighth place Philadelphia, and seven points behind division leader Carolina.
"We're in a bad position," Tomas Vokoun said. "There's no question about it."
Tonight may have been the first time in ages the Panthers actually found some energy to fight back. Down 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild in the third, Nathan Horton netted a power play goal six minutes into the period. A few moments later, his open-ice hit on Stephane Veilleux woke the Cats from their slumber and sparked a more intense style of play.
Florida finished with 16 shots in the third, but were unable to chip in a comeback tally like so many teams have done to them this season.
But like the new posters hanging in the Panthers locker room, Friday's effort is too little, too late.
Even Jacques Martin, who has presented a positive front during some of the rough stretches this season, appears to be tiring from his team's constant struggles. He plodded into the postgame press conference pressing his hand against his brow, like he was trying to rid himself of a splitting headache. Maybe he is.
The last coach I saw do the same thing down here was Terry Murray, who, after a 5-2 loss to Philadelphia on Dec. 27, 2000, appeared nothing short of bewildered and offered no answer to why the Panthers had won just six games at that point. Florida fired him the next day.
Granted, Martin didn't appear clueless as to why Florida continues to lose. He's well aware injuries have gutted the team. And that they are fragile when they have a lead. And that the Panthers are either taking too many penalties, breaking down too many times on defense, not playing physically enough or just giving up a cheap, lucky goal at the worst possible moment.
The whole situation lends itself to something one might see on a poster by Despair, Inc.:
Defeat: For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.
Despair, Inc.
Posted on: February 29, 2008 11:14 pm
Edited on: March 1, 2008 9:34 pm
Comments
|
Reputation: 96
Level: Superstar Since: Nov 12, 2007 
|
Posted on: February 29, 2008 11:34 pm
Despair, Inc.Living in Tampa, there is despair here as well. Watching the end of the game, the Bolts were up 2-0 and let the Leafs back with 2 early in the 3rd. Maybe it was the fact that Toronto opened its spring camp in Dunedin (Blue Jays) or that the snow birds from Ontario decided to visit the Forum, the arena was wickedly for the Leafs. Too little too late up here as well. Trading Lecavelier's soulmate Brad RIchards was the final nail on this years hopes. The Lightning did triumph in OT with a nice 4 on 3 power play to decide the game but it is evident around here the season is a loss. Dan Boyle had two assists and the winning goal..yippie. This team is led by John Tortorella, who is quickly becoming one of the best American born coaches of All Time, and itis apparent that is not enough. Whispers are seeping through the St.Pete that his time is running out. I do not get it, the man has led the Bolts to a Stanley Cup in the most unlikely of places and has led them to 4 first or second place finishes every year except his first...and now. But when you have one of the most electric scorers in the league flanked by Martin St.Louis and a lot of talent behind them and not a lot of talent to come down the minor league pipes, the window of opportunity is fleeting. This is a listless team, unable to fight back from early deficits and easily loses leads. The pressures of putting on an entertaining team that wins is a slope siding on the side of mediocrity. The pressure is there to win the hearts of an area of America with a similar fanbase as the Panthers have, with all the transplants and fans of other teams it is easy for many of us to say heck with it. I am a Capitals fan and am more than happy to see this slide due to my own agenda but it is sad to see this is a team with fractures that will not heal over the summer, the fractures will widen and the ice will turn to water and quick a quick fix will not help this or any other team in Florida. I want the Lightning to win, I want the Panthers to win, only so my son, a new fan of the Bolts can enjoy a foghorn and for me to watch a crowded Forum full of Lightining fans taunting me not snow birds from Canada taunting my son. |
|
Reputation: 96
Level: Superstar Since: Nov 12, 2007
|
Posted on: March 1, 2008 12:46 am
Despair, Inc.Then there is the comment of noone cares in here and it reflects the fact noone cares outside of lauderhill or Sunrise. |
Reputation: 92
Level: All-Star Since: Oct 8, 2006
|
Posted on: March 1, 2008 1:45 am
Despair, Inc.The Panthers, as a team, don't seem to learn any lessons from one game to the next. When they win, they fail to continue to do the things that allowed them to win into the next game. However, when they lose, they do continue to do the things that caused them to lose! I don't know what to make of it. It's exhausting. |
|
|
