George Richards, FHN Publisher
Through the first 10 games of this season, the Florida Panthers have not exactly been lighting up scoreboards around the league.
The Panthers come into tonight’s game against the visiting Blue Jackets ranked near the bottom of the NHL by averaging 2.60 goals a night — with only seven teams having a lower number.
Florida was shutout in its opener against Minnesota and has only scored more than three goals twice — in a desperation third period at Winnipeg and the following win at New Jersey.
Is Maurice stressing his team’s lack of offensive prowess in this first month of action.
Not one bit.
When you have the kind of talent Maurice does both in his top-9 as well as on the blueline, would you?
“We have had so many chances and have been a little snake-bit around the net,” Maurice said after Florida’s 5-2 loss at Chicago on Saturday night. “I am not worried about the hands or the offense. It’s there. But the defense is the thing we’ve been most proud of.”
One reason why Maurice is not worried is not just the firepower he has, which, aside from Sam Reinhart, has yet to be unleashed.
Maurice is simply digging the way his team is playing on the defensive side of the ice.
And for good reason.
Although he joked bringing up such a topic following Saturday’s loss in Chicago is probably bad timing, Florida’s defensive game has been its strength.
For a team missing its top two defensemen, Florida’s play has been quite impressive.
The Panthers have not only found a way to survive without Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, but they have thrived.
In these first 10 games, the Panthers have allowed 3-plus goals in five games with one of those being Monday’s overtime loss in Boston.
Florida’s 2.80 goals-against average is tied for ninth in the league with its collective .911 save percentage between Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz ranked No. 10.
Of course, those two goalies have had less work than any other tandem in the league as Florida’s 280 shots allowed this season ranks tops in the league.
Florida is also ranked third in expected-goals against in all situations at 29.47 and third in 5-on-5 play at 18.55 per NaturalStatTrick.com.
The 28 goals allowed are tied for eighth.
The Panthers also lead the league in scoring-chances against with 263 and are fifth in high-danger chances against.
While the Panthers have had strong goaltending thus far, Florida’s defensive play have made it tough on opponents to get shots through.
After the way this team started last season, Maurice could not be happier.
So far, this version of the Panthers look a lot like the one we saw in the playoffs last spring even though they seem lightyears removed from the free-wheeling squad from 2021-22.
The offense, Maurice knows, will come. It will not put up the numbers they did before Maurice arrived, but they will improve.
But playing this kind of defense does not come easy.
“We are better than we have ever been defensively,” Maurice said. “We are learning how to win and battle in tight games before some of the hands loosen up.”
PANTHERS ON DECK
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Monday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
- TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
- Radio: WAXY 790-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
- Last Season: Florida won 2-1
- This Season: @Florida Monday, Ap. 11; @Columbus Dec 10
- All-time Regular Season Series: Columbus leads 26-17-4
- Up Next for the Panthers: Wednesday at Washington (TNT), 7:30 p.m.