By STEVE GOLDSTEIN
Florida Panthers Play-by-Play Announcer
The holidays have come and gone and, with it, a big hockey week in South Florida. The Panthers hosted three teams since Christmas and more than 56,000 fans came to watch at the BankAtlantic center.
The games did not not disappoint.
The Panthers showed how far they've come as all three match-ups proved to be tight games. They also showed how far they have to go as they lost leads in two of those three games. Fortunately, fans can take comfort in the fact that Florida never trailed during regulation in all three games.
Against Boston the Panthers led 1-0 and 2-1, only to lose in a shootout 3-2. Against Montreal they had a 2-0 lead but lost in overtime 3-2. The first game of 2011 was a strong 3-0 win over the Rangers. The Panthers picked up a point in each game before sellout crowds but the losses were heartbreaking.
To make a run in the second half of the season, the Panthers must improve on the power play. They are last in the NHL and would surely have more wins if that stat was even average. Five on five, Florida is in the league's top 10 and defensively they are playoff caliber.
Also an issue moving forward, is the stellar play inside the Southeast division as Washington, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are three of the NHL's top teams. The Panthers have played well head to head with these franchises and their fate will be determined by the outcomes of the numerous remaining games inside the division.
My first half MVP goes to Mike Santorelli who is on a 20 goal pace. He has provided something the Panthers desperately have been looking for- another center to complement Stephen Weiss. The Panthers now have two good lines who can score and that makes a huge difference.
Florida was picked by many to be at the bottom of the NHL. They've surprised critics by playing well most night and they remain at the .500 mark. Let's see if they can put a run together and sellout their rink a few more times down the stretch.
