Panthers Drop the Ball in Crucial Stretch, Now Face Uphill Climb Before Olympic Break
Just a week ago, the Florida Panthers looked like they were finally finding their stride. Three straight wins on the road - including in buildings where they’ve historically struggled - had them inching closer to a playoff spot and playing with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a two-time defending Stanley Cup champion.
But what a difference a week makes.
Back home in Sunrise with a chance to build on that momentum, the Panthers instead stumbled through a three-game homestand that saw them come away with zero points - a gut-punch stretch that’s left them eight points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And with just three games left before the Olympic break, time is quickly becoming a factor.
Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Winnipeg was the latest in a string of missed opportunities. Florida opened the scoring early in the first, courtesy of Eetu Luostarinen deflecting a floating wrist shot from Evan Rodrigues.
But despite a sluggish start from the Jets, the Panthers couldn’t capitalize. And in the third period, it all unraveled.
Up 1-0 heading into the final frame, Florida surrendered two goals on just four shots - including the game-winner off a line change breakdown with under five minutes to go. A rebound goal tied it, a flat-footed sequence gave Winnipeg the lead, and just like that, another winnable game slipped away.
“We were fine,” Luostarinen said afterward. “Then a couple of sloppy plays or mistakes, and they scored on us.
Frustrating way to go down. If we’re not scoring more than one, we have to keep our net clean - and we didn’t do that today.
It’s tough. We battled.”
That’s been the theme of the season so far: battling, but not always finishing. And with key players like Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand sidelined, the Panthers’ margin for error has been razor thin. Missing top-end talent is never easy, but this team has been forced to adapt all year - and Saturday, the depth just couldn’t carry the load.
Head coach Paul Maurice, who’s been through this kind of grind before, emphasized the urgency pregame - calling this stretch a playoff-like gauntlet. The effort was there. The execution wasn’t.
Florida had a real shot to collect at least four points this week against Utah, St. Louis, and Winnipeg - all beatable opponents.
Instead, they walked away empty-handed. That includes two losses to a struggling Blues team and a forgettable Winter Classic performance against a Rangers squad that’s been far from elite this season.
These are the kinds of games you look back on in April and wonder what could’ve been.
Still, the Panthers aren’t out of it - not yet. The Eastern Conference playoff race is a logjam, and the standings remain fluid.
Just ask Columbus and Pittsburgh, both of whom looked like they were on the ropes earlier this month but have clawed their way back into the mix. The Panthers, even with injuries, have the pedigree and experience to do the same.
Maurice knows it’ll take more than just belief - but that’s where it starts.
“We just have to keep the faith,” he said postgame. “Maybe that’s the test of where we’re at - the thing we do to win this year is to keep your belief and keep your fight, even when it’s going against you.”
That belief will be tested again this week. Florida faces three games in four nights before the Olympic break: Buffalo on Monday, Boston on Tuesday, and Tampa Bay on Thursday.
All three are ahead of the Panthers in the standings. All three are measuring-stick games.
The good news? Florida got a little help on the scoreboard Saturday, with Montreal beating Buffalo in regulation.
The Panthers are very much in scoreboard-watching mode - and with 38 games left, they still have time to make a push. But the clock is ticking.
In terms of reinforcements, Maurice didn’t rule out the possibility of getting Lundell or Marchand back this week. Both are considered day-to-day, and even one return could provide a much-needed boost.
“Every day is important for them to get some rest,” Maurice said. “There is a possibility we see at least one of them come back.”
The Panthers will take whatever help they can get. After Thursday’s game, the Olympic break kicks in - though for nine of their healthy players, there won’t be much rest as they head to Italy to represent their countries. That’s a challenge for another day.
Right now, the focus is Monday night against the Sabres. With playoff implications on the line and a narrow path forward, every game is starting to feel like an elimination game.
“We’ll tape a few guys,” Maurice said, “and see what we can put together.”
That’s where the Panthers are right now - taping it together, fighting through adversity, and trying to stay in the race. They’ve done it before. But if they’re going to do it again, it has to start now.