Panthers Announce Front Office Hiring

Florida -- The Florida Panthers announced today the hiring of KYLE WAHLGREN as new assistant general manager.

"Kyle Wahlgren brings great knowledge and a fresh approach to our hockey staff," said Panthers GM IronMike. "He has shown us skills in roster management, scouting and line match-ups. He'll help the Panthers hockey club in many different areas."

Kyle is currently in Janesville, WI home to the Johan 'Moose' Hedberg Public Library. Why they worship a Swedish born goalie is one of several Janesville facts Mr. Wahlgren will be able help us understand. The other might be why Janesville is known as the City of Brad Park?

Anyways, it's assumed Kyle will move to Jacksonville in order to thoroughly understand the Panthers minor league system. In order to contact Mr. Wahlgren please note his address kwahlgren36 at gmail.com ...... and please jump over to Chicago Blackhawks blog - www.chicagosportsauthority.com.

Obviously with this type of background, Kyle will be a huge asset for the Panthers and the entire NsHL.

Cats Claw Back.

New York -- When you start a run like the Panthers have (26-6, last 32 games) you just don't want it to end. I'm sure if you ask Andrew Drummond he'd say the same thing. When you make a charge for your first Championships in the NsHL you just want to continue the ride forever. The fact is maybe nobody cares but when you are still fighting this late in the season it means alot. It means you have beaten the best. It means you are in a dog-fight with the best of the best.

Winning last night felt good ... actually it felt great! It shouldn't because it didn't mean anything. The Panthers are still down 3-2 to the defending champs. I don't know something about extending the series felt right. Of course spending hours pouring over the series and developing new lines to combat a tough foe probably has something to do with it.

"We were so good, we took things for granted," explained Panthers coach Pete DeBoer. "We got smacked in the face by the Rangers, but we didn't roll over. Now we've been given another chance. We must come to play tomorrow night and get this series tied. We made some changes. Mostly to shake up some of our players."

The Rangers have done a great job holding the Panthers first line in check. Evgeni Malkin has not been a force in the series. The southern cats are trying to get some secondary scoring to offset the first line woes.

It worked in game five, Kyle Calder, Jay Bouwmeester and Justin Williams all scored goals and all were scoring for the first time in this series. Kris Draper, Antti Miettinen and Williams all have five points in the series to pace the Panthers.

The power-play which was strong all season has struggled going just 2-24 against the Rangers. In game six it'll be important to establish strong special teams. The Panthers must make the Rangers pay for going to the box.

"Last night we mixed things up," said DeBoer. Draper and Miettinen have played very well this series and we rewarded them with some extra time."

And what about the franchise, Evgeni Malkin, can he find a way to make his mark in the series. He has one or two more games to find a way or else the ride is over.

OT Loss Leaves Cats on Life Support.

New York -- The faint heart beat you hear is from the Florida Panthers. After three straight defeats at the hands of the New York Rangers, the Panthers are clinging to life in the NsHL playoffs.

Game five is played in the most famous building in all of sports, Madison Square Garden, and it could be the spot where the Cats play their final game of the season.

The truth is it's been a dream ride for the three time defending Southeast Division champs. On the night of the trade deadline the team was far back and out of the playoff picture. In fact, they were SELLERS! Who remembers the terrific Sergei Zubov trade? This deal between Calgary and Florida will go down as a potential Cup winning move for one GM and the reason the other gets fired.

Getting back to the Panthers fortunes, they seemed to turn around at the deadline. They won that night and then rattled off 15 more wins to close out the season. They caught the Washington Capitals for the division crown and finished third in the Conference. A remarkable job even if the season would've ended then.

But the playoffs began and the underdog Panthers took out both the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils. In fact, they took a 1-0 series advantage over the Blueshirts. But this is where the fairy tale seems to have ended. Three straight wins by New York, the last two in Florida, and the fat lady has started to prepare her singing voice.

Tomorrow is game five in the Rangers barn and they have a chance to step on the throat of a dangerous opponent. Who thinks the defending NsHL Champions will play it soft and let their foe off the canvass?

Today at the rink the Panthers were hard at work. A full-out practice with a very surprising twist. All the lines were changed. SAY WHAT!!

Make that a shocking twist ... IronMike doesn't change anything. Get it ... the Iron part is not just a name, it was EARNED the old fashioned way!

"Yeah, some parts have been moved around," said the GM. "It goes against everything I believe in, but we owe it to the players and the fans to try and get this series turned around. Nobody in the room feels like this is the end. We can still make things very difficult for the Rangers. We just need to play our game."

Some of the observations from today's skate included, no power-play time for Jay Bouwmeester, a reduced role for Robert Lang and for the first time a goalie change could be in the works. Ty Conklin has seen every second in the post-season but it could be time for Tim Thomas to play his first game.

Champs Pull Ahead

Florida -- The defending NsHL Champion New York Rangers are on a roll after taking two straight from the Florida Panthers. The Blueshirts played a near perfect road game to claim game three 3-1. The win gives the Champs a 2-1 series advantage in the eastern Conference Final. It`s been 30 games since the Southern Cats dropped two-in-a-row.

The Rangers used a strong offensive game to put the high-powered Panthers on their heels in game three. They played three good periods of hockey and took advantage of their chances.

The line of Andy McDonald, Daniel Briere and Milan Michalek has dominated the last two games and got things rolling last night by scoring the games first goal in the second period. Kris Draper scored to tie it but the champs quickly got that back when Scott Gomez scored with the just three ticks on the clock.

the third period was a clear illustration of how this series has gone so far. The Rangers are undisciplined and take too many penalties and are getting terrific play from their goalie and second line. While the Panthers can`t score on the power-play and are now getting beat in the 5-on-5 game. Last night Andy McDonald scored his third of this series to put the game out of reach.

We need to play better, said Evgeni Malkin. We have to find a way.

The offense dried up in this series for the Cats. They are just 1-19 on the power-play and have received zero offense from Malkin, Kyle Calder and Nathan Horton.

Ranger One, Rangers Zero

New York -- In game one of the Eastern Final, the Florida Panthers were hanging onto to 2-1 advantage in the third period when New York Rangers dman Jaroslav Spacek took another undisciplined penalty. 25 seconds later, Panthers pivot Robert Lang passed back to Paul Ranger on the point. Rangers slapper beat Henrik Lundqvist and the Panthers would take Game One 4-2.

"We played a good road game," explained Pete DeBoer. "We took advantage of our opportunities and i thought we did well to limit them."

The Rangers were in self-destruct mode in this game. After taking an early lead with a Todd Bertuzzi goal just 98 seconds into the game. The Rangers took a few penalties and let the Southern Cats claw back into the game. Michel Ouellet scored to tie the game and the power-play allowed them to get their offense in gear.

In the second frame the Rangers continued a parade to the sin bin including little used Jon 'the sim hates me' Sim taking two minors. This guy played just 6 minutes and spent another 4 sitting in the penalty box. Not exactly the best type of ratio.
Panthers rookie Blake Wheeler, continued his hot playoff run with his 5th of the post season with just 49 seconds remaining in the second. It was tough goal to give-up considering the Rangers were killing penalties very well and they really didn't have a great chance to play a 5-on-5 game.

The Panthers kept up their strong play in the third period thanks to more power-play chances. After the Ranger goal gave the Cats a 3-1 lead, New York responded quickly with a Chris Campoli goal. But they couldn't get any closer and Kris Draper put it out of reach with his third of the playoffs.

Campoli was the man of the match. Two points, a plus 2 and lots of good work on the penalty kill. Evgeni Malkin was held in check by Campoli and the blue-shirts. But he did lead the way in hits and his teammates picked up on his play and actually out-hit the Rangers.

Game two is Monday night in New York.

Horton, Cats Benefit from Change

Florida -- After this mornings skate Nathan Horton was pulled aside and told he was being moved off the number two line. After two sub-par series one would think the Panthers brain trust had finally seen enough of Horton as a top six forward.

But no, Horton was being moved to the first line with Evgeni Malkin and Kyle Calder. The move paid off in game five as the trio combined for 3 goals and 2 helpers as the Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in double overtime.

53 seconds after Andrej Meszaros went off for slashing, Paul Ranger moved the puck over to Malkin who one-timed a shot through Martin Brodeur. The Panthers now head back to the swamp with a 3-2 series advantage.

Panthers GM IronMike talked about the Horton change. "I talked with the coaches after game four," explained mike. "We thought Horton could add some grit to our top line. He's 6'2 and 220 ... he's a large body who can play a big game. Putting Justin Williams on the second line adds some speed. Lang and Wheeler have performed so well and we knew Williams could bring his strong overall game and make them better too."

The second line opened the scoring for the Cats as Wheeler scored his 4th of playoffs assisted by Williams and Lang.

For some GM's in the NsHL these types of moves are commonplace. Trading and flipping players in and out of the line-up are a staple in the make-up of most NsHL teams.
Not in Florida, "If Cito Gaston took up managing hockey he would fit right in with the Panthers," said hockey insider Pierre Macturd. "Most GM's operate at high speed all the time. always making small moves to benefit the club. IronMike in Florida makes moves at the speed of a glacier."

The Panthers might operate different but the results have been very good in the last few years. Can it continue? According to Macturd, "the 4th win is always the hardest ... especially against Marty!"

Playoff Fever or Derby Fever?

Florida -- Game two will be played tonight in Florida between the Panthers and Devils. But the game will be played without Panthers GM IronMike in attendence.

Last night IronMike's private jet flew him and most of the Panthers organization to Kentucky for this year's Run for the Roses. The coaches and players stayed behind to play game two.

"Take the schedule maker off my Christmas list," shouted IronMike about ten minutes before departing Florida. "Give me a frikkin break, it's Derby day!"

"I hope we don't get any injuries," said IronMike. "Our trainers and medical staff will be at the Derby. The first Saturday in May is for the Kentucky Derby. I'm pissed that our players couldn't enjoy it too."

When asked if the GM plans to watch the game he responded quickly. "Not a chance, I won't be in any shape to do anything, I'll be down about ten grand and hammered on Mint Juleps."

IronMike is hoping to strike a very rare daily double. A betting win in the Derby combined with a Panthers win in game two. "Yeah that would be nice. Truth is you can't be a loser on Derby Day. It's the best day of the year."

Obviously we know IronMike likes the Panthers in tonights game. But what about the Derby? "My top three are AMERICAN LION, LOOKIN AT LUCKY & MISSION IMPAZIBLE."

Waiting Game

Florida -- With the entire weekend free of hockey games, the Florida Panthers have turned to some other sports to ease the wait. The Panthers currently hold down first in the Southeast Division. They are 3 points clear of the Washington Capitals with four games left to play. But, the Caps are sitting with five games left to play.

On friday while the Caps were battling the San Jose Sharks, the Panthers team met at Strikers for some bowling. The scores weren't the greatest but nobody cared, the night was good for some laughs and to get away from the grind.

"It's not often you get a full weekend with no games and no travelling," said Panthers forward Kris Draper. "we are having a blast this weekend."

Florida is currently riding a 12 game winning streak and it's been 24 games since they were outshot (Buffalo). Holding the hot stick for the Cats is Evgeni Malkin (10 goals during the win streak) and rookie Blake Wheeler (7 goals). Robert Lang and Wheeler each have 3 game winners during this streak.

The race for the Southeast is down to just the Caps and Cats. Washington beat San Jose 2-1 on Friday and then they play Carolina on Saturday and Calgary on Sunday. Winning the next two would give the Division lead back to the Caps.

"We want home ice," said Draper. "We want our fans involved and we want to give them another Division crown."

So while the Caps are slugging it out on the ice the Panthers are scheduled to visit the beach on Saturday and then it's off to play Jai-Alai on Sunday. At 190mph, Jai-alai is one of the fastest games going. "Let's see how well they play with us finishing our checks," joked Draper. "We might stick a net out their and see if they can score on Timmy."

Next game for Florida is Monday night against the Atlanta Thrashers followed by a game in Buffalo.

Conklin, Cats Shutout Caps.

Washington -- The Florida Panthers won their ninth in-a-row in style stunning the home crowd and increasing their lead in the Southeast Division to three points.

Ty Conklin stopped 22 shots for his second shutout of the season and Evgeni Malkin had two goals and a helper as the Panthers continued their hot streak with a 5-0 victory over the Washington Capitals last night.

Conklin signed in the off-season to be the number one goalie in Florida won his team leading 24th game. Malkin scored the game winner with Nathan Horton, Justin Williams and Michel Ouellet also scoring for the Panthers.

The power-play was a huge weapon for the Southern Cats Friday night. Scoring three goals on the power-play while not taking any penalties was a huge advantage in this game.

Washington drops to three points behind the Panthers in the Southeast with a precious three games in hand. The Caps are still in charge of their own destiny. Next weekend they play three times while the Panthers do not play a single game. Obviously the Caps would like to play well and zip past the resting Panthers.

"We can't worry about those games in hand," Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski said. "You always do a little scoreboard watching. But our focus has always remained on our opponents."

The Panthers focus has been crystal clear this season, Jovanovski explains. "Back in November we read about the Washington - Atlanta bet. They totally tossed us aside. We were nothing to them. Our coaching staff posted it onto our wall and we have used it as motivation all season long. We want to win the Southeast again. Beating those teams three years straight would be huge for us."

Streaking Panthers Eyeing Playoffs.

Florida -- Last night's 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators extended the Florida Panthers winning streak to four and saw the team climb into 7th in the Eastern Conference.

Florida held the Sens to a season low 15 shots against and received a game winning goal from Blake Wheeler his second in the last three games. "Overall i was very happy with the win tonight, said Cats coach Pete DeBoer. "I thought we contained them pretty good, but they made it close and scored on limited chances and it shows what a good team Ottawa is."

Sixteen games ago, the Panthers battled and lost to the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout. Even though they lost, it was a game which might have turned the season around for Florida.

Since losing to Buffalo, the Panthers are 12-4 with significant wins over Washington, Atlanta, Dallas and Ottawa. During this streak the Panthers have used a powerful offensive push to their advantage. The last time a team out-shot the Panthers was the Buffalo loss 16 games ago.

Southeast Scene:
With precious few games remaining the Washington Capitals are hanging on by a thread to their Division lead. They are currently stumbling down-the-stretch with a three point advantage over Atlanta and Florida. The Caps are certainly looking over their shoulder and wondering if they can stay the course and close out the Division title. With three games in hand on both their rivals they should be able to nail down the title.

MALKIN KEEPS HIS BEACH HOUSE

Sunrise, Florida -- The Florida Panthers signed Russian forward Evgeni Malkin to a new five-year contract worth $28.5 million on Monday.

Malkin, who leads his team in goals and points, is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the Panthers. After practice on Monday Malkin and Florida GM IronMike ripped up his old deal and signed a replacement. The new deal is effective immediately.

"We are very excited to have Evgeni signed to a long-term contract," said Panthers general manager IronMike.

"This is an important signing for our club. We are overjoyed with Evgeni and with his devotion to the future of the franchise and the city. This signing continues to ensure the young core of this team can stay intact for years to come. I want to thank Evgeni and his agent Mark Kopsack."

Malkin was dealt to Florida from the Nashville Predators on January 22, 2006. Malkin followed up his Selanne Trophy-winning rookie campaign by scoring a league high 93 points. Which helped him win the Gretzky Award this past season.

He added 18 points in 20 playoff games, as the Panthers lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the ’06 NsHL Cup final.

Later on Monday the club also announced they had locked up goalie Tim Thomas to a four-year contract. Sources say the deal could be worth up to $11 million.

Thomas, 35, has played so well this season the Panthers were forced to set-up a two-man rotation system for their goalies.

"Timmy has become a mainstay in such a short time. Every start, every practice he works very hard to earn his playing time. Now his numbers are matching his committment," IronMike said.

"We now believe with Ty and Timmy we have the type of goalies to compete with anyone in the league."