The Carolina Hurricanes lost their 10th consecutive game, this time to the Florida Panthers, by a 3-0 score on Wednesday night in Sunrise, Florida. The team started the game off with tremendous effort and dominated time of possession. They out-shot the home team by a 21-4 margin in the opening period, but Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun was equal to the task.
Vokoun registered his second straight shutout with the effort.
After scoreless first and second periods, the Panthers dented the scoreboard first when Cory Stillman bounced a puck off Steven Reinprecht's leg. Florida was able to generate a couple of prime scoring chances after the goal, but shot the puck wide two or three times on open nets. It looked like Carolina's luck might turn.
But with the help of a couple of ill-timed penalties, Florida kept the pressure on, scored a powerplay goal on another deflection, and would ice the game with an empty netter with two minutes left.
The loss leaves the Canes still looking for their first road win and still looking for answers.
Game Notes:
- Brandon Sutter continued to shine. He led the team with four shots on goal and made some nice moves to get himself open. He also killed penalties and generated a chance or two while short-handed. The kid deserves more ice time than 10 minutes and should be bumped up to another line.
- Without Sutter's two goals in the previous two games, the veterans on this team would have been shut out three games in a row.
- The oldest team in the league looked a bit slow in the third. They also took bad penalties in the second and third periods which changed the tone of the game.
- The powerplay drew a goose egg again as the team went 0-6 with the man advantage.
- The Canes remain the most penalized team in the league. They were called for eight minors in this game.
- Rod Brind`Amour was -2 and now has a team worst -11. Last year's -23 might have been a fluke, but he is on course to top that mark. He was on the ice for 18:06 and did not have an official shot on goal.
- After out-shooting the Panthers 21-4 in the first, the visitors were out-shot in each of the next two periods, 12-6 and 8-5. Did the Panthers make adjustments or did the Canes run out of gas?
- After the game no one had any answers, but John Forslund said it best when he said that the team has yet to put forth a consistent 60 minute effort. Skating for 30-40 minutes is not going to cut it when the team is in this position.
- The Canes have been out-scored 14-2 in the last three games and 19-4 in the last four.
- The loss officially puts the team at 30th in the league. They will play Toronto on Friday night to see who gets to keep the dubious position.