Friday night the Florida Panthers’ wasted another comeback effort, their second in a row this week. After a tough loss Wednesday night in OT, the Panthers fought back against the New York Rangers Friday night, only to lose the game in a shootout.

The 1st period of the game was fast and furious. The Rangers scored 2 quick goals, 1:53 and 2:39 into the period, to go up 2-0. Florida would answer back through Radek Dvorak at the 12:32 mark of the 1st period to get back to 2-1. Florida outshot New York 15-10 through the 1st period.

Florida pulled even on the power play in the 2nd period thanks to Jay Bouwmeester to tie the game 2-2, setting up a pivotal 3rd period to determine the game. New York took the 3-2 lead 7:04 into the 3rd period, but David Booth would score his 12th goal of the season for Florida with a minute and a half left in the period to force overtime.

The OT period was dominated by New York who outshot the Panthers 9-2, but the game would require a shootout to determine the winner. Rostislav Olesz would score first in the shootout, but it was downhill from there for Florida. The Rangers would convert their next two attempts while Florida’s next two shots resulted in a save and a miss.

Last night’s loss was really a case of same old, same old for the Panthers. They struggled on the power play, despite the one goal, going 1-6. The Panthers were outshot on the game and couldn’t finish when it counted. The team continues to struggle in its efforts to turn their season around and unless they can capitalize on good effort they are going to have a long season and may be in for change soon.

The Florida Panthers can’t seem to catch a break, nor can they seem to make any for themselves. One might think that if it weren’t for bad luck, the Panthers would have no luck at all. After staging a late comeback Wednesday night against the New Jersey Devils, the Panthers fell 55.5 seconds shy of gaining a least a point or a full two points in a shoot out.

New Jersey dominated through the first 2 periods of play Wednesday night. The Devils scored 2 goals on their first 12 shots in the 1st period, netting goals at 5:33 and 18:24 to finish the 1st period up 2-0. New Jersey would continue its dominance in the 2nd period, not allowing a Florida shot on a goal until 12 minutes had passed. After a scoreless 2nd period the Panthers came out fighting in the 3rd.

Late goals from Jay Bouwmeester and David Booth at 17:41 and 19:52 would set the Panthers even with the Devils at 2-2 just before the end of the game. Sadly, the effort would all be for not as the Devils would score in overtime with just 55.5 seconds left to leave South Florida with a 3-2 win and the full 2 points possible from the game.

Florida can’t seem to string together any wins this season and are struggling to capitalize on good play when they have it. Wednesday night the Panthers outshot the Devils 38-37, and erased a 2 goal deficit in the final 3 minutes of the game, only to lose in overtime. The Panthers power play continues to struggle as they were 0-5 tonight. The goaltending situation seems to be a sore spot as well as again tonight coach Peter DeBoer pulled starter Tomas Vokoun in favor of backup Craig Anderson.

It is still early in the NHL season, but the Panthers look disheveled and downright lost at times. A drastic change may be necessary to right the ship this season, whether it is in personnel or coaching.

The Florida Panthers continued their string of solid performances from the past two weeks with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night. The win was critical for the Panthers who are running out of time to turn their season around and have a tough stretch of games ahead of them this week.

Florida exerted their will early in the game, taking control in the first period. David Booth got his team leading 10th goal of the season at 7:04 and Ville Peltonen put Florida up 2-0 at 15:45 with only his 2nd goal of the season.

Carolina came back in the 2nd period to tie the game in the first 2:30 of the period. Goals at :25 and 2:13 got Carolina right back in the game, tying it at 2-2. In the dying moments of the 2nd period however, Gregory Campbell scored at 17:42 to give Florida a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

Florida was able to lock down the Carolina offense in the 3rd period, holding the Hurricanes to only 7 shots on goal in the period. The Panthers would hold on for the 3-2 victory. It was a rather ho-hum game, Carolina outshot Florida 29-22. The Panthers had no power plays in the game and stopped both of Carolina’s two power play opportunities.

All in all, the Panthers played a solid game and got the victory. Florida needs to turn their season around and quick, so a victory in the first of a 3 tough games is a good start. That being said, Florida had a victory last week to start their road trip but lost the remaining two games.

The Florida Panthers have a tough week ahead of them this Thanksgiving week with 3 games against tough competition. If the tough games staring them in the face weren’t enough, roster shuffles continue due to injury and peculiar circumstances.

Jassen Cullimore, who missed Friday’s loss at Boston due to a right knee injury, practiced on Sunday and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the Panthers face off with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cory Stillman on the other hand won’t be so lucky. Stillman has played once since sustaining a concussion on November 2nd at Atlanta and is not expected to return anytime this week. Cullimore’s return offsets the loss on defense of Nick Boynton is likely to be out tonight against Carolina with a concussion. It is believed he sustained the concussion during a fight Friday night against Boston.

Now for the news of the weird, on Sunday the Panthers put Wade Belak on waivers in a strange move that unsettled many players in the lockerroom. Many players reacted with disgust when they learned of Belak’s fate, while head coach Peter DeBoer had the following to say regarding the move, “”Listen, we’re not sitting where we’re at because of Wade Belak or what Wade Belak hasn’t done. But we’re not happy where we’re at, and there are consequences here. Everyone here should be on notice. . . . Status quo isn’t good enough.”

Thats right coach, there are consequences and everyone should be on notice, including YOU. DeBoer hit it on the head when he said status quo isn’t good enough, I wonder if he realized he was lighting a fire under his own ass when he said that as he certainly has not improved the Panthers’ fortunes this season.

Belak, by the way, cleared waivers on Monday after having not been claimed by any of the other 29 NHL teams. He is now free to return to the Panthers and has expressed his joy at the opportunity to return to Florida and play out the remainder of his contract for the Panthers.

The Florida Panthers faced a tall order last night, go into Boston and beat the Bruins at home. The Bruins are 11-1-1 in their last 13 games, are winners of 7 games in a row at home, and are tied for the lead in the Eastern Conference. Not many people would have given the Panthers much chance of winning and in the end the game played out as expected with Boston winning 4-2.

Quick goals was the name of the game for Boston as they scored just 2:46 into the 1st period to take a 1-0 lead. David Booth would answer back for the Panthers with his 9th goal of the season at 8:01, but just 2 minutes later Boston would retake the lead for good, 2-1.

The 2nd period was no different for the Bruins as they scored 2 goals 2 minutes apart from each other to stretch their lead to 4-1. Boston would control much of the 2nd period blasting 21 shots on goal and scoring one of their two goals on the power play.

In the 3rd period Florida would score a bit of a consolation goal as Ville Peltonen would find the back of the net with just over 3 minutes remaining in the game. In the end, the 4-2 score would make the game seem closer than it was throughout.

Florida was simply dogged by their usual problems, ineffective special teams and being outshot. Boston outshot Florida 38-32 for the game, and while it isn’t the usual staggering difference, Boston made their shots count. The Panthers allowed a power play goal while being shut out on 4 chances of their own.

Florida now returns home where they have the weekend off before facing more tough tests next week. Monday they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes, Wednesday they get a rematch with New Jersey, and Friday they welcome the other Eastern Conference leading team, the New York Rangers. The Panthers have no time to dwell on an unsuccessful road trip, things get no easier next week.