Minnie Too Wild For Panthers

FLORIDA
The Florida Panthers were at home last night and hosted the Minnesota Wild. After an impressive victory in Boston the other night and the Panthers strong play of late Florida may of taken the Wild a little too lightly.

The Wild tamed the Panthers and even a third period burst by Florida was not enough to overcome the poor play by the Panthers in the first two periods.

In the first period the Wild outshot the Panthers 12-6 (32-27 overall) and got the only goal of the period. Oleg Petrov notched his 11th of the season at 4:53 and the Wild looked like a team that was in control. Florida looked tired and was not able to get anything going.

The second period just added to the Panthers troubles in this game. With Patrik Stefan getting an unsportsmanlike penalty just :09 seconds in. Then just :47 seconds later at the :56 second mark Kim Johnsson was called for charging. Minnesota capitalized on the 5 on 3 at 1:14 when Vincent Lacavalier scored his 31rst of the year to give the Wild a 2-0 lead. Curtis Brown made it 3-0 at 14:25 and the Wild look like they would cruise to an easy victory but the Panthers are not one of the top teams because the give up and the third period was the most entertaining for the Florida fans.

The Panthers got three power play goals in the period but it was a short handed goal by the Wild that decided this game. Valeri Bure scored his first of two power play goals on the night at 2:26 while the Wilds Jason Smith was in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Wilds next penalty produced three goals. Jay Bouwmeester got a high sticking penalty major at 3:19 but it was the Wilds Yanic Perreault that scored first while short handed at 6:01 to make the score 4-1 Wild. Bure scored his second power play goal at 7:16 to cut the lead in half at 4-2. With Bouwmeester still in the box Mike Cirillo scored his 5th of the season at 8:05 to cut the lead to 4-3.

The Panthers fought hard in the third but it was the classic too little too late and the Wild hung on for the victory. It was only the second loss in the last 10 for the Panthers who will have to regroup quickly as they leave tonight for Ottawa to play the Senators tomorrow night.