Rapid Fire: Reasons To Love Playoff Hockey

Welcome to Rapid Fire. Panthers broadcasters Steve Goldstein and Bill Lindsay will hit five different thoughts on a daily rotating basis. It's up to them as far as what topics they want to talk about as teams, and more specifically the Panthers, make a push towards the playoffs and the Stanley Cup.


Bill is back with another round of Rapid Fire as he discusses the five reasons for Panther fans to love playoff hockey.

 No Shootout!: What a gimmick this is anyway. I am not a huge fan of the shootout. It does provide a winner for each game, but it is not real hockey. In the playoffs you end it the right way, by going until someone finishes the game with a proper goal. For the Panthers, this should be good news as shootouts have not been kind to Florida over the years.

Blood Scars And Stitches: To win the Cup, teams must be able to endure an enormous amount of pain. What's better than watching two teams go at it for seven games and players with black eyes, stitches and blood rolling down their face giving their all? You can feel the intensity. 

Seven-Game Series: Teams learn quickly to despise one another in the playoffs. The games take on a whole new meaning of intensity. Individuals go toe-to-toe every game and bad blood spills over from game-to-game. It becomes more about will than skill.

Pure Enjoyment: This is the real hockey season. It's truly why players play the game and fans support their teams. It's when lasting memories are made. This is the pinnacle of the sport and there is nothing quite as good as playoff hockey.

Waiting Long Enough: Ten years is a long time, but you have stood by us and now is the time for new memories and new heroes to come to the forefront. Its going to be a little extra special for Panther fans and players this season. How sweet it will be.