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.