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Friday is the day Florida Panthers fans worried would never come. The Cats will open the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a first-round matchup with the New Jersey Devils at the Bank Atlantic Center on Friday the 13th.
When the Florida Panthers were struggling down the stretch of trying to snap the longest active NHL playoff drought, those inside the locker room tried to insist everything was fine.
Now that the Florida Panthers have clawed their way to the division title, it's time to 'see red' at their playoff games. First up for the Cats, who are the number three seed, is the sixth seeded New Jersey Devils.
The last time the Florida Panthers made the playoffs, you could buy gas in South Florida for a buck and a half a gallon and the team's home ice was in Overtown, not west Broward. But at last, the Panthers are back in the Playoffs, and tickets went on sale Saturday.
The Florida Panthers' first playoff run in more than a decade is creating a buzz about hockey not seen in South Florida since rats were raining down on the ice in the 1990's.
The Florida Panthers ended one of the longest playoff droughts in major North American sports Thursday night despite a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, who also earned a postseason bid to complete the eight-team field for the Eastern Conference.
The Florida Panthers were all set to break out the champagne and celebrate the team's first playoff berth in more than a decade, then the Winnipeg Jets finally showed up for Tuesday's game and put the celebration on ice.
Andrew Ladd scored two goals, including the winner 3:12 into overtime, to give the Winnipeg Jets a 5-4 victory over Florida that prevented the Panthers from clinching the Southeast Division title on Tuesday night.
There are seven teams in the four major professional sports that haven't been to the playoffs in the last decade. That list could shrink to six teams if the Florida Panthers beat the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday night.
Wojtek Wolski scored in regulation and added the only goal of the shootout to help the Florida Panthers boost their playoff hopes with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
The Florida Panthers continue to cling to the lead in the Southeast Division as the team looks for a much-needed playoff spot and possibly a division championship.
Ilya Bryzgalov has been the goalie of the month in the NHL. Scott Clemmensen was easily the goalie of the night, and that was all the Florida Panthers needed to stretch their lead in the Southeast Division.
The last time the Florida Panthers saw the Philadelphia Flyers on the ice, the Cats were on the wrong side of a 5-0 shellacking. Tuesday night, the Panthers hope they can continue their momentum towards the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Florida Panthers hockey team chose the perfect time to tie a streak not seen since 2008. Saturday's victory over Buffalo gave the Panthers their fourth consecutive win, tying a 2008 streak, but more importantly, padded the team's lead in the Southeast division.
