Panthers Leaning on Their Stars to Turn Season Around

It’s no question that the Florida Panthers have underperformed up to this part of their season.

And now, as they reach the halfway point of their campaign, every game feels like a must-win scenario for the reigning Presidents Trophy winners.

Panthers’ Stars Stepup to Turn Season Around

So with the season on the line, the Panthers’ stars have taken the reigns and are leading the way to turn their season around.

The Panthers capped off a brilliant performance last night against the Detroit Red Wings. Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad connected with each other for two of the Panthers’ three goals in their 3-2 win. And goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky did his part to shut the door on the upstart Red Wings, making 29 saves in the win.

The gutsy performance was critical for the Panthers as the Red Wings are a team they are chasing for a coveted playoff spot. And getting it done in regulation was the cherry on top.

“There’s a lot of urgency, especially in a divisional game. Ekblad noted after the win against the Red Wings.

“It’s cliche, four points (referring to winning in regulation). We are chasing these guys.” 

The Cats have now recorded back-to-back wins for the first time since December 3. And everything is pointing toward the Panthers’ stars to keep this momentum going.

The Time to Turn Things Around is Now

The Panthers opened the New Year with consecutive losses and fell to 12th place in the Eastern Conference and eight points out of the final playoff spot. 

For a team that was failing expectations and desperately in need of points, their lackluster performance and effort were disheartening.

It was at this moment the Panthers had a decision to make. Either roll over and go through the motions of this season, or they dig deep and turn this thing around.

And, to the delight of its fanbase, the Panthers chose the latter. 

On the backs of their star players, the South Florida team has injected new life into their season with consecutive wins. 

And it’s not just the fact that they won, it’s how they won.

There is new energy out on the ice. The urgency is there from every player in the lineup and when you watch, you get a sense that these guys believe they are making the playoffs.

But that all started with the leadership and play of the team’s stars.

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Panthers’ Stars Taking Over Games

In the win against the Arizona Coyotes, it was Matthew Tkachuk who carried the team with three goals and an assist. It was his first hat trick with the Panthers and the fourth of his career.

And then last night it was the captain and his longtime teammate’s turn to lead the way. Barkov was the primary assist on both of Ekblad’s goals that helped pace the Panthers’ victory. 

It was Ekblad’s first multi-goal game since December 2, 2021.

And lastly, in both games, the goaltender tandem of Spencer Knight and Bobrovsky did their part to close the door on their opponents.

“Incredible,” Ekblad said of Bobrovsky after the game.

“He stole the game, for sure. They had some fantastic chances, and he came up huge.”

Bobrovsky was quick to credit his teammates with the performance he put together, stating “I thought we protected the middle [ice] very well. A good overall 60-minute effort by our team.”

If the Panthers have any chance to turn their season around, it’s going to be at the hands of these guys here.

Leading by Example

For any team to have success in the NHL, you need every player to buy in. It’s a collective effort every night. And the best way to accomplish that is to have your star players lead by example.

Their play is infectious. What they do on the ice gets felt through the lineup. Without leadership, you cannot accomplish your goals.

And the effect of the play from the stars has been noticeable in the last two games.

It was evident last night in the way Eetu Luostarinen sacrificed his body to block a potential game-tying shot in the final seconds.

If you don’t think the Panthers believe they can get into the postseason, well start believing. This block from Luostarinen says everything about where the Panthers’ focus is at!#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/vkpOiellvV

— Alex Slemp (@AlexSlemp) January 7, 2023

Or the elevated play from the teams’ fourth line, led by Eric Staal, who continues to contribute that crucial scoring depth.

And you see it in the complete overview of the game. The entire 60 minutes were played with unrelenting persistence and urgency.

Tkachuk, Barkov, Ekblad, and Bobrovsky are the leaders of this team. They command the most amount of cap space and they are paid to be difference makers for this club.

At a time when the Panthers need every point they can get, these are the guys you need to elevate their game and play at that elite level. And that is exactly what we are seeing in this group.

Panthers’ Stars Believe in the Team

The climb to the playoffs is a steep one for the Cats. The Panthers need to leapfrog five teams (based on points percentage). And they’ll need to average a 0.68 points percentage the rest of the season to have a shot at the playoffs.

“We believe in each other and feel like we can get on a roll,” Ekblad exclaimed after the game.

“We feel like we are pretty healthy and feeling good that we can do that.”

It’s no small task but it all starts with the leadership and play of the stars. It’ll be through them that the road to success will be paved for this talented group of players.