Through one period down in Miami, the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins are tied 1-1. The Penguins jumped out to an early lead, as Chris Kunitz scored a bit over one minute into the game, but the Panthers managed to tie it up when Brian Campbell (yeah, this guy) scored a goal at seven minutes.
If anyone out there is still undecided if the Panthers are for real or merely an early season mirage, be sure to tune in for the next two periods. After letting up that early goal, the Panthers dominated the final 15 minutes of the period; they controlled the puck and kept the action down in the Penguins’ zone, and they finished the period leading in shots 10 to 7. I know it’s merely one period, but the Panthers look good on the ice.
I’m not saying they Panthers are necessarily “for real”….I’m just saying, they look good out there. And that’s more than the Panthers have been able to say at times in recent years.
The one disappointing part of the period for the Panthers was that they had two power plays and couldn’t convert on either of them. If they keep getting so many chances, though, it bodes well for the rest of the game.
To join in the conversation about this game and talk with fellow fans, check out the Gamethread on SB Nation’s blog for the Panthers, Litter Box Cats.