SUNRISE — What happened to the old Cardiac Cats? If the Florida Panthers are going to make a comeback and go to the Stanley Cup playoffs for a seventh straight year, they need to return.
Not too long ago, the Panthers were the Kings of the Comeback.
They were also the Kings of the Shutdown.
That has not been the case much anymore.
Monday night, the Panthers lost their fourth in a row, losing to a team they must beat to earn a wild-card playoff spot.
Once again, the third period did them in.
The Panthers missed a golden opportunity to tie things up against the Buffalo Sabres in the third period. Down a goal, the Panthers had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:07 but couldn’t cash in against old friend Alex Lyon in a 5-3 loss.
For the seventh time this season the Panthers lost after scoring first.
Also, for the seventh time, they lost after being tied or ahead after two periods.
At this point last season, the Panthers had 67 points and were atop the Atlantic Division.
They did not win the division, of course, because they did not care to.
Those were the days.
Florida is currently at 59 points and nine points from the nearest wild-card berth — which happens to be held by the Boston Bruins who are in town Wednesday night.
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It is just another ‘must win’ situation to keep hopes alive.
But is hope still alive?
The Panthers have been running on fumes for the past week and appear worse for wear.
There have been a lot of ‘must-win’ games.
Can they win them?
So far, no.
Monday, the Panthers led 2-0, trailed 3-2, then tied things up on a pretty good rally late in the second when Uvis Balinskis got a power-play one-timer late.
With a healthy squad, Balinskis would not normally be quarterbacking the power play.
But, so it goes.
The Panthers ended up giving up a pair of goals to the Sabres in the third in a game they appeared to be out of gas.
So, what’s next?
The Panthers are not only way behind the Sabres and Bruins, but they have to leap over five teams — which is an almost impossible task late in a season.
As a grim reminder, when the Panthers made a late run to the playoffs in 2023, they were three points out after 55 games — not nine.
They also were healthy.
Not the case today.
If Monday’s loss was not bad enough, another key player was added to the walking wounded when Sam Bennett didn’t return to the ice for the second period.
With Bennett, Anton Lundell, and Brad Marchand still uncertain for the next game, the Panthers may have to again go to Charlotte for a recall.
That’s not good.
The Panthers are trying their hardest, no doubt about that.
Perhaps they will be back to a full and healthy team after the Olympic break, with the exception of Sasha Barkov.
Doubt it.
The constant parade of injuries has led to a lot of movements between lines, personnel being in and out of the lineup and players moving to unfamiliar positions.
“A lot of the guys have been going at it for 55 games,’’ Matthew Tkachuk said.
“They’ve been put in different situations. It’s wild. Some of the guys in right now – I’m seeing them work their absolute asses off and grind and play through stuff so that they can stay in and play.
“We are in trouble right now.”
Indeed.
Paul Maurice, as is his style, refuses to get down on his players who have been trying hard under adverse conditions.
He’s just running out of options.
And a callup from Charlotte probably isn’t going to help all that much although the addition of Sandis Vilmanis has been one of the positives out of all of this injury madness.
“How hard do you play? We’ve had one in the last month, the game in Carolina, which completely got away from us,’’ Maurice said.
“Other than that – this schedule is as egregious as you’ll find n the NHL right now. Ours coming out of the break [is] worse. They’re playing together, the bench is good, they’re pulling for each other. They’re trying to do the right things. They’re battling as hard as they can and there’s nothing more I can ask of them.”
If the Panthers are out of the race, decisions have to be made.
Is it worth Barkov returning sometime in April (or May) even if he is ready?
There may not be a postseason for Barkov to return for.
By making the decision to put him on the shelf until next season, it not only gives him more recovery time, but allow the team cap space to make a deal for now and the future.
Likewise, if they conclude that the playoffs are not likely, do they become sellers at the deadline?
Not that the Panthers have many players they want to part ways with although a veteran like Jeff Petry might be moved to a contender (back to Detroit?) to chase a Cup.
The Panthers have plenty of cap space next season and will be able to go after a big name free agent.
The only major expiring contract is Sergei Bobrovsky and he will not command the money or term he had when he signed what was the biggest contract in franchise history in 2019.
The rumor mill has mutual interest between Artemi Panarin and the Panthers.
Right now, with the Panthers sitting in last place in the Atlantic, that would not really be a move for today — but more for the future.
Panarin wants a contract extension and, really, the only way Florida trades for him it is for the ‘Breadman’ to be in the lineup moving forward.
The Rangers have removed him from the lineup pending a trade.
Panarin has a full no-movement clause, so he is in charge of his destiny.
He may want to come to South Florida after spurning the Panthers in 2019.
Perhaps it is too cold down here.
Literally and figuratively.
ON DECK: GAME No. 56
BOSTON BRUINS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
