Back in the early 2000s, the Florida Panthers shared the Southeast Division with the Carolina Hurricanes.
There were quite a few games back then that looked a lot like Friday night in Raleigh.
The Panthers were slow from the start — “and got worse,’’ said coach Paul Maurice, who got a lot of wins against the Panthers during his days with the Hurricanes.
The final was as ugly as we have seen around these parts in some time: 9-1.
Woof.
Florida had three shots on goal in the first period yet were somehow just down 1-0 going into the second.
Uvis Balinskis tied the score early in the second on the Panthers’ fourth SOG of the night, but unlike previous games against the Hurricanes this season, that was all Florida would get.
The Panthers made two big comebacks to beat the Hurricanes earlier this season but that was not in the cards Friday.
Carolina turned them tables on the Panthers in a big way, scoring six times in a third period that deteriorated rapidly.
Florida’s parade to the penalty box (seven from the end of the second into the third) did not help one iota.
”We fought our way into the penalty box and had a real tough third period,’’ Maurice said. “We haven’t had one of those in a long time. We were off. It wasn’t a slow start … it started slow and got worse. This game is only real if we don’t regroup and get back quick. We haven’t thrown a game like that in a very long time. We got beat. Thank God we play tomorrow.’’
Anton Lundell mentioned that it was good that the Panthers get the opportunity to get right back at it tonight.
As was the case many times during Florida’s stay in the old Southeast Division, a short flight to Washington and a date with the Capitals awaited the Panthers.
The Panthers probably are not going to learn a lot from Friday’s loss.
It was, to be blunt, a mess.
“The good thing is we have a game tomorrow,’’ Lundell said. “A new opportunity, a new chance to show that we will be better.’’
Sergei Bobrovsky and his stat page has to wear a nine-goal game although none of this is on him.
If it wasn’t for Bobrovsky, Florida probably could have been down 9 goals midway through the second period.
The Panthers would certainly like to end this interrupted six-game road trip on a high note.
Florida is 2-3 in its six-game sojourn away from Sunrise, a trip that started in Toronto and ended in Buffalo before the team came home for a couple days — then flew to Washington for their White House visit.
The Panthers wrap up this leg of the roadie tonight in Washington before a home one-off against San Jose leads back to another three-game trip to the upper midwest.
How much video Maurice cuts from this stinker is still up in the air.
“I’m not sure, exactly, what I’m going to do with it,’’ he said. “We’ll be right tomorrow.’’
ON DECK: GAME No. 47
FLORIDA PANTHERS at WASHINGTON CAPITALS
