Florida Panthers Close to Tying an NHL Record. Big Deal or No?

The Florida Panthers can tie an NHL record tonight with a win in North Carolina against the Hurricanes.

Florida has won its past 11 road games, one away from the record set first by the Detroit Red Wings (March 1-April 15, 2006) and then tied by the Minnesota Wild (Feb. 18-April 9, 2015).

The Panthers have not lost a road game since losing 3-1 at Calgary on Dec. 18.

Since then, Florida has outscored its opponents a whopping 52-18 in those wins.

But, with the road streak interrupted by the Christmas break — Florida did not play a road game after Calgary until it beat Tampa Bay 3-2 on Dec. 27 — as well as the All-Star break, coach Paul Maurice said this current run of wins does not feel all that special.

Of course, the Panthers would much rather be on an 11-game road winning streak than the alternative.

“Feels a little bit less, honestly,” Maurice said when asked about the potential for tying the record. “we have had some pretty good runs and they have been around breaks. I got asked about where we lost our last road game — and we had just been talking about where our season had turned. We lost in Calgary, then came home and lost to St. Louis. That would be a low point. But then we took off.

“The (streak) just doesn’t feel connected. If we had played nine, 10, 11 straight road games and you went on that run, yeah, you would feel that. It doesn’t feel like. But it’s good. Better than the other.’’

The Panthers, as the aggregate score shows, have not had too many close calls during this streak, although there have been a few.

Before the All-Star break, Florida had a back-to-back in Pittsburgh and on Long Island.

The Penguins tied the score late in the third but Florida won in a shootout; the following night, Florida beat the Islanders in overtime.

Aside from that, most of Florida’s games have been of the lopsided variety.

Courtesy NHL.com

The Panthers, for instance, outscored Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Tampa Bay 18-4 on their previous three-game road trip.

Tonight should be a little more challenging.

Carolina, the team Florida swept in the Eastern Conference finals last spring, has won its past three games and eight of its past 10.

The Hurricanes are currently six points back of the Rangers for first in the Metropolitan Division.

Here is how the Panthers got to within a win of this NHL record:

Dec 27: Panthers 3, Tampa Bay 2

Florida takes a 2-0 lead before Tampa Bay scored 28 seconds into the third. It was 3-2 with almost 17 minutes left, but Sergei Bobrovsky slammed the door. Sam Reinhart scored twice; Aaron Ekblad got things going.

Jan. 2: Panthers 4, Arizona 1

Carter Verhaeghe, Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Gus Forsling all score in a game which featured a number of fights — and a big hit from Jason Zucker on Nick Cousins.

Jan. 5: Panthers 4, Vegas 1

Down 1-0, the Panthers rattle off four unanswered goals as Florida beats the Knights for the second time in a span of a couple of weeks. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tkachuk, Verhaeghe and Reinhart all score.

Jan. 6: Panthers 8, Colorado 4

Reinhart gets a hat trick as the Panthers take a 3-0 lead and do not look back. Colorado has won 11 of its past 12 home games — its lone loss during the streak is this one.

Jan. 9: Panthers 5, St. Louis 1

Tkachuk comes home to Missouri and gets a hat trick as the Panthers trailed early but turn this one into a rout in Florida’s eighth straight win. The Panthers get to nine before the streak ends.

Jan. 22: Panthers 4, Nashville 1

Facing Andrew Brunette for the first time as a head coach, the Panthers put on a show for their dads as Reinhart, Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour and Tkachuk all score.

Jan. 26: Panthers 3, Pittsburgh 2 (SO)

Evan Rodrigues and Reinhart each score, but Evgeni Malkin ties it with 41 seconds left. Sasha Barkov and Reinhart take it in the shootout as Bobrovsky played a very strong game.

Jan. 27: Panthers 3, Islanders 2 (OT)

Reinhart and Tkachuk helped the Panthers take a 2-1 lead into the third before Kyle Palmieri forces overtime by scoring with 1:29 left. Ekman-Larsson wins it in overtime, coming off a 2-on-1 with Rodrigues.

Feb. 14: Panthers 5, Pittsburgh 2

The Panthers celebrate Valentine’s Day by running out to a 4-0 lead and rolling to another win. Tkachuk, Jonah Gadjovich, Ekblad, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen all score.

Feb. 15: Panthers 4, Buffalo 0

Anthony Stolarz makes 45 saves for his first shutout with the Panthers as Verhaeghe scores twice; Tkachuk and Ryan Lomberg also score.

Feb. 17: Panthers 9, Tampa Bay 2

Down 1-0 24 seconds into the game, Florida sets a franchise record by scoring nine unanswered goals and roll past its cross-state rival. Bennett and Tkachuk both had four points as 13 players hit the scoresheet.

ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ CAROLINA HURRICANES

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: PNC Arena; Raleigh, N.C.
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM, WPOW 95.6 FM2,WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Last Season — Regular Season: Carolina won 2-1; Eastern Conference Finals: Florida won 4-0.
• This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 2 (Nov.10). At Carolina: Thursday; March 14
• All-Time Regular Season Series: Carolina/Hartford leads 71-47-10, 11 ties
• Postseason History: Florida 1-0 (2023 ECF)
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Washington, 6 p.m.