Goalies First Pro Start: GOONTASTIC

Sunrise, Florida: Last night's game between Southeast Division rivals Florida and Tampa was supposed to be a special moment for the Southern Cats rookie goalie Josh Harding. After all it was his first pro start in the NsimHL. However, the backstop turned it into a Miami-Street-Fight.

Harding settled into the game perfectly stopping the first two Lightning shots. But at the 14.43 mark of the first stanza Josh Harding started acting more like TONYA HARDING.

With the play deep in the Florida zone, Ryan O'Reilly whistled a shot at Harding who made the save with his trapper. O'Reilly skated threw the blue ice and then continued to the corner of the rink, but he had a follower. Harding left his crease area and charged towards the Tampa Bay forward with his stick raised high in the air. Harding then took a machete-like swing with his goal stick at O'Reilly. Luckily for O'Reilly the netminder missed his target.

All the players converged on the Goon Goalie and his turtled opponent and the linesman grabbed hold and removed Harding from the playing surface. Harding received a Major Penalty and Game Misconduct for his actions.

"The guy is a freak," said O'Reilly. "I mean you saw his actions, he's not sane. I have no idea what he was thinking."

Harding was unavailable for comment after the game and many have speculated he was hidden away from media in the Cats home rink.

Cats coach Peter DeBoer was asked for his comments and seemed taken back by what happened. "We know Josh, he's a good kid. Maybe he got too excited. Maybe something was said for him to act like that. He knows he can't do that in this league."

When the playing resumed, the Panthers received 26 saves from replacement keeper Tim Thomas and a three goal performance from Evgeni Malkin to down the Bolts 3-2.

CATS ROOKIE WATCH:

Josh Harding: played 15 minutes of game action and stopped all three shots faced. He also has 15 minutes in penalties and was tossed from his only start.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson: Has played six games this season and averaged 11 minutes of ice-time per game. He has no points and is a plus one.

Jakob Voracek: Has played all 13 games, some of which on the Panthers top line. He averages 14 minutes of ice-time and has produced 7 points this season. He is also 4th on the team in plus-minus with a plus 11.