One of the notable stories of hockey this past week is the fact that the Florida Panthers are struggling. They have lost four straight games and are no longer leading the Atlantic Division.
Who has beaten Florida?
The Panthers began their losing streak on November 19 in a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. In this game, Florida had no answers for Jets veteran forward Mark Scheifele, who collected his ninth career hat trick. That was followed by a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on November 21, a 7-4 Panthers loss to the Colorado Avalanche on November 23, and a 4-1 Panthers loss to the Washington Capitals on November 25. The first two losses during the streak were on the road, while the last two losses during the streak were at home.
The Blackhawks beat the Panthers after Chicago was the second worst team in the National Hockey League last season. While the Panthers won the Atlantic Division with 110 points, the Blackhawks had the second fewest points in the NHL with 52. Only the San Jose Sharks had fewer points, as they had 47.
The loss to the Capitals would also sting for Florida, as the Capitals were without the NHL’s top scorer Alexander Ovechkin. The Russian legend broke his leg against Utah on November 18 and is out long term.
Has goaltending been an issue?
The answer is yes. Sergei Bobrovsky gave up six goals on 24 shots against the Avalanche. The bottom line is when you are making $10 million per year, simply more is expected. There is no doubt that Bobrovsky is fortunate that he gets to play hockey in a market in south Florida where his game is scrutinized less than if he were to play on a Canadian based team.
Who is in first?
The Toronto Maple Leafs lead the Atlantic Division with 28 points, three points more than second place Florida. Without their star player Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs are still red hot and winners of seven of their last eight games.
Who does Florida play next?
Ironically the Panthers next play Toronto. That precedes back-to-back games this weekend against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
