Florida Panthers riding high get to rest, CBS News Miami's Steve Goldstein
SUNRISE - The All-Star break has arrived and with the league-mandated bye week, the Florida Panthers don't play again until February 6th.
It comes at a good time for a team that has had great results, is firmly placed in a playoff spot, and is one of the legitimate Stanley Cup contenders in the league. The Panthers won all four games in the week heading into the break and are a sensational 13-2-2 over their past 17.
There have been some bumps and bruises as there always are, and a number of players have been under the weather over the past month plus. A perfect time to rest, rejuvenate, and get ready for the final nine weeks of the regular season, and what the Panthers hope will be a repeat playoff run from last year.
Bobrovsky, Reinhart Head North
Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Reinhart will represent the Panthers in the All-Star Game in Toronto.
Reinhart has had an incredible season, leading the league in many goal scoring categories while rewriting much of the Panthers' record books. It is the first All-Star Game of his nine-year career and he goes to Toronto with a remarkable 37 goals in 49 games.
Bobrovsky will go for the first time as a Panther, and it's the third overall All-Star selection of his career.
Road Warriors
The Panthers haven't lost a road game in 2024. They won all eight games in January, setting a franchise record for consecutive road victories.
Panthers Turn Back The Clock
The NHL has changed over the years from a nastiness standpoint. There are not as many fights, confrontations, retribution incidents, and hostility for the opponent on a regular basis. But don't tell that to this Panther team.
Last week, they got into it in a big way with both Arizona and Pittsburgh. If an opponent takes a run at one of their players, they will jump in and react as a team.
Case in point, the usually mild-mannered Anton Lundell threw a punch at Penguins defenseman Kris Letang Friday night. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is a veteran, known more for his offense than physicality. But he has also jumped in on the party and seems to really be enjoying playing that way. From Sam Bennett to Matthew Tkachuk, to role players like Ryan Lomberg, the Panthers have a team toughness and hard-nosed mentality up and down the lineup as much or more than any NHL team.
Net Duo
It's not only Bobrovsky doing the job in goal. Anthony Stolarrz has been the league's best goaltender on the road and added two more road wins to his impressive resume last week. Stolarz is 30 years old and has never been on a team this good. At 6' 6", he covers a lot of net, limits his movement, and is regularly in a solid position. The front office made a good call and did their homework in free agency with Stolarz.
Ekman-Larsson Shines
Speaking of free agency, the Panthers hit the jackpot with veteran defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. After a couple of seasons battling injury, he has been more than anyone could have asked for in his first season in South Florida. He's scoring at a solid 40-point pace and scored the game-winning overtime goal on Saturday against the Islanders, the final game before the break.
What's Next
After a well-deserved full week off, the team returns to practice on Sunday. That week, they play at home every other day starting next Tuesday against Philadelphia until Saturday. The Panthers only leave the eastern time zone once the rest of the season, for a game in Dallas in March.
