Panthers Grab Point In Shootout Loss

Florida Panthers' Brett McLean (53) scores against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period of an NHL hockey game as Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala (35), and Toronto's Jason Blake (55) defend in Sunrise, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

By Dave Joseph for floridapanthers.com

Fragile.

That’s the best way to describe the Panthers psyche right now with the lead in the third period.

In what has become a disturbing trend over the past few weeks, the Panthers allowed the Maple Leafs to tie the game with only 1:08 remaining in the regulation and then lost in a shootout 4-3 at BankAtlantic Center.

The Panthers, who held a 2-0 lead after the first period, gained a point on idle Carolina and are now seven points out of first in the Southeast Division and five points from the eighth playoff spot.

“You have to have confidence to make the smart plays,” Olli Jokinen said. “We don’t make it easy on ourselves.

Said David Booth, “We’ve got to bury teams when we’re up.”

Game Highlights
Starting Lineups
Panthers		Leafs
Kreps	C	Sundin
Booth	LW	Steen
Horton	RW	Antropov
Bouwmeester	D	Kaberle
Skrastins	D	Kubina
Vokoun	G	Toskala
Post-Game Video
Jacques Martin   Brett McLean   Steve Montador   Rostislav Olesz
PhotoGallery
Panthers vs Leafs
Quote of the Game
"This time of the year, all that matters is getting the two points and we just keep allowing scoring chances when we have the lead like that. I can't tell you how frustrated we are as a team right now." -Forward Brett McLean
Stat of the Game
Panthers forward Rostislav Olesz continues to be hot after returning from a wrist injury that sidelined him for a month. He has four goals and two assists since February 15th.
3 Stars Presented by Szrio Jewelry
1. Tomas Kaberle 2. Brett McLean 3. Mats Sundin

But after Toskala skated off the ice for a sixth man, Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin, who tied the game at two, skated across the Panthers blue line after jumping on the ice, and slapped the puck through David Booth’s legs and by goalie Tomas Vokoun to send the game into overtime.

“I can’t believe (Sundin) put it (through my legs),” Booth said. “I’ve got to get something on that.”

A scoreless overtime produced the shootout. Tomas Kaberle, the Leafs’ first shooter, scored the only goal when he beat Vokoun through the pads. After Olesz hit the crossbar, Toskala stopped Ville Peltonen and Jokinen.

The Panthers picked up a point for the third time in their last four games. But the team has won only one of their past six games and two of their last nine.

“It’s frustrating,” said GM and coach Jacques Martin. “But, without using excuses, it’s personnel with (Radek) Dvorak and (Jozef) Stumpel out, who are good in those (last minute) situations. We have to be better with getting pucks out and blocking shots.”

The night started good for the Panthers at 9:27 of the first period when Tanner Glass shook defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo behind the Toronto net, came out to the side of Toskala, and slid the puck right through the crease. Jassen Cullimore took control of the puck on the left boards and beat Toskala for a 1-0 lead.

Just 7:46 later, Jokinen stopped a Maple Leaf clear along the right boards and slid the puck to Brett McLean, who moved in front of the Toronto net, deked Toskala, and then wristed the puck into an open net for a 2-0 lead after one.

The Maple Leafs picked up momentum in the second period and made it 2-1 at 6:56 of the second on a goal from Jeremy Williams. Despite taking a 3-2 lead midway through the final period, the Panthers never seemed comfortable in the final 10 minutes of the game.

“It’s frustrating, you know?” Jokinen asked. “We battled pretty hard, but we have to show more desperation.”

NOTES
Chad Kilger, one of three players acquired by the Panthers at Tuesday’s trade deadline, was allowed to fly back to Canada by Martin for personal reasons…Defenseman Bryan Allen (leg) was out of the lineup and listed as day-to-day…Defenseman Karlis Skrastins, acquired for Ruslan Salei, made his Panther debut. Skrastins said he left Colorado at 7 a.m., Wednesday morning and arrived in Fort Lauderdale at 12:30 p.m. Asked about the trade, Skrastins said; “I’m very excited. I was ready for a change and this is a good change for me.”… Skrastins had three blocked shots…Wade Belak made his Panther debut, helping to screen Toskala on Cullimore’s goal and playing seven shifts totaling 5:09…Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester played a whopping 33:36….