The win streaking Florida Panthers return home for the start of a six game Holiday season homestand to close out 2015. It begins this afternoon with a visit from the Vancouver Canucks.
The Numbers
[table id=TS02G34 /] [table id=IS02G34 /] [table id=GM02G34 /]* – Stats are courtesy of War-on-Ice.com, Puckalytics.com and Hockey-Reference.com
Projected Lineups
[table id=PF02G34 /] [table id=PD02G34 /] [table id=PG02G34 /] [table id=OF02G34 /] [table id=OD02G34 /] [table id=OG02G34 /]The Rundown
The Panthers have been on quite the run of late. Three wins in a row, 9 of their last 12 in the W column, this is exactly what they needed after losing 9 of the 12 games prior to the current streak. The Panthers sat at 8-9-4 in 7th place of the Atlantic Division between the two streaks. For those keeping score at home, that’s behind everyone except Toronto. That’s right, they were behind even Buffalo. BUFFALO!
However, this hot run has erased that embarassment and the Panthers are right back where we thought they would be: in the thick of the playoff hunt instead of chasing the pack. They currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference by two points over New Jersey, three over Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, and five over Pittsburgh. The Panthers are currently in the driver’s seat, their destiny is in their own hands.
Another sign of improvement is the state of the defense’s Corsi. Prior to the current 12 game run, the difference between the Panthers best and worst defenseman performer on the season was 17.9% (Gudbranson at 38.6% to Ekblad at 56.5%). Now, it is 11.8% (Mitchell at 41.3% to Ekblad at 53.1%). Obviously it is not ideal having defenders down as low as Mitchell is still, and to not maximize top performers like Ekblad. However, Gerard Gallant’s reliance on line rolling means it makes sense to spread the wealth as much as possible. That way the Panthers are deploying a consistent attack at all times with fewer peaks and valleys (mostly thinking about the valleys here). Find a way to get above 50% consistently and things will be even better.
The Panthers will face a Canucks squad that is coming off a 4-3 shootout victory over the Red Wings on Friday night. The Cancuks blew a 3-2 lead with just 1:07 remaining in the third. Henrik Zetterberg ripped a perfectly placed shot over Ryan Miller to send the game to overtime. The result of the game put the Red Wings just 1 point over the Panthers, and brought the Canucks up to 32 points on the season. The Canucks trail Nashville, 2nd Wild Card in the Western Conference, by six points.
It has been a tough year for the Canucks. They have seen play slide back after making the playoffs last season. Injuries in particular have been a hinderance to the Canucks. Center Brandon Sutter, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the offseason, has been out since November after having sports hernia surgery. Defensemen Luca Sbisa and Dan Hamhuis are both out as well, the former with a broken hand and the latter with a broken jaw. The latest blow, however, is the biggest one. That is the loss of captain Henrik Sedin, who missed the last game with an undisclosed lower body injury. It is uncertain when he will return, and you can bet losing one half of the Sedin twins is bad news.
Players to Watch:
Reilly Smith – The Panthers right winger is on best goal scoring tear of his NHL career. He has goals in four straight games, the longest such streak of his career.
Jonathan Huberdeau – His assist to Willie Mitchell on Friday night was insane. You can re-watch it here. That’s not the only amazing thing he’s done of late though. Huberdeau has not gone more than a game without a point since a three game drought from October 27 to October 31.
Closing Thoughts
Don’t forget to make a donation to #CatsForACause! Make a donation today, and let us know on Twitter using #CatsForACause!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
