Woeful Florida Panthers End Nine-Game Losing Streak, Defeat Streaking Anaheim Ducks

SUNRISE, FL – NOVEMBER 12: Goaltender Tim Thomas #34 of the Florida Panthers celebrates their 3-2 win with teammates against the Anaheim Ducks at the BB&T Center on November 12, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Well, I guess you could say I’m eating my words tonight. I said this in my pre-game post, “I usually abide by the theory, any team can win any game, but in this case……no.” And, I said this, “Tim Thomas: Sometimes this players to watch part is for the wrong reasons……..This is definitely the case because Thomas has been worse than bad in his return to the NHL.” So, naturally, what happens? The Florida Panthers score three straight goals to come from 2-0 down to win the game 3-2 and Tim Thomas stops 32 shots in the process. So, what I’m trying to say hear guys is, I’m sorry and I take full responsibility for this loss.

The Ducks got off to a real nice scoring two goals in the first period. Andrew Cogliano got the Ducks started just 40 seconds into the game when he out-waited Thomas and beat him from a sharp angle. Then, with almost five minutes left in the period, rookie Hampus Lindholm got his second goal of the season as he beat Thomas glove side with a snapshot from the top of the left circle. Lindholm originally lead the rush into the zone and went to the net with the puck before working his way back to the slot where Bonino would find him. However, that would be the last tally for the Ducks. In the second, the Panthers would tie it up with goals just one minute apart. First, Shawn Matthias would beat Frederik Andersen with a backhand through Andersen’s five hole and then Scottie Upshall would take a shot that pinballed off a couple of players and floated over Andersen to tie the game. It was at that point where I thought, “Yeah, it’s just not gonna be our night.” Right before that goal, Andersen was slew-footed by Panthers’ rookie Aleksander Barkov but no call was made. Then, four and a half minutes into the third period, Bryan Allen turned the puck over in the corner and the puck found its way to Upshall who made a move across the slot and put a shot on net and Brad Boyes cashed in on the rebound to put the Panthers up for good and complete the comeback.

So, Andersen loses his first NHL game and the Ducks lose to arguably the worst team in the league. Am I mad or upset? Mildly. I never like losing, especially not to a team as low in the standings as the Panthers. Tonight was the first of four straight road games and it was not a good way start the trip. Up next, the Ducks visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, who look like a much easier matchup now that Steven Stamkos is out indefinitely. Then, they visit the Carolina Hurricanes and finish the trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Any more thoughts on tonight’s loss? Yeah, Thomas won the game for the Panthers. Simple as that. The Ducks were the better team for the majority of the game and couldn’t come away with a win. Games like tonight happen, the best thing to do is just put them behind you and get ready for the next one. Now, here are some stats from tonight.

Scoring Breakdown by Period:

• : Cogliano (6), Lindholm (2)
• : Matthias (2), Upshall (3), Boyes (6)

Shot Breakdown by Period

Powerplay Efficiency:

Other Statistics:

Three Stars:

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