Panthers ride Belfour one game too many

Panthers' coach Jacques Martin was asked after the morning skate whether 41-year-old goalie Ed Belfour, set to make his 25th consecutive start hours later, might play all of the final nine games.

[Loyal Panther Fan]

Ouch. Ottawa scored 17 straight unanswered goals on us this season, till we finally managed to get a couple this evening. 17! That's really just not very nice.

[Vic b]

Its over now for this year.I hope Martin plays Anderson so we can evaluate our goalie situation for next year.Olesz stood out and Salei was zip as usual.Salei can only be played 18 minutes per game period.If we can keep Belfour for next year and Anderson is a good backup then Auld can be waived saving us 1.6 million to go to fill our needs next year.We still need a power forward that can go to the net,another defenseman,and 1-2 Peltonen or Sim types.I AM OPTIMISTIC for next year.Overall Martin has done a good job.

[RED BARON]

It was a valiant effort. I give the guys credit for trying. The shot count was definitely in our favor, but the goaltending unfortunately was leaky. Belfour is obviously very tired. The Panthers have a hard time getting everyone to play consistent. If it isn't defense, it is offense. If it isn't offense it is goaltending and so on. If you look at the powerhouse teams in the league, they get consistent output at every position. If one area shows temporary weakness, the other areas make up for that one position. The Cats need to find the level of play where if one area shows weakness, the other areas step up to give some slack. Unfortunately, several areas caved last night. This sudden implosion and loss of confidence is the reason why they lose the tight games they deserately can (and want) to win. At least now we can start talking about next season.

[Bob]

Meanwhile, Luongo is leadind the league in wins and is third in line for the Jennings Trophy. Hart Trophy consideration could be argued as well. Thanks Alan Cohen!

[Alex]

why the sarcastic jab at cohen? from all accounts - he was willing to give luongo what he wanted.

mike keenan, on the other hand, did not, and in turn traded him for a whole lot of nothin'. i'm not a fan of cohen's - he has made plenty of mistakes to say the least, but blaming him for the luongo saga is idiotic. keenan couldn't have handled the entire situation any worse.

Eddie was awful this game. He has been great this season, but personally, I don't think he should be back. I was one of the few supporters of the move when he was brought here last offseason, but i'm not convinced he's going to be able to duplicate this season. Not just performance, but health. He's been very fortunate to stay healthy...i don't think it would be a wise move to bank our entire season....again....on his back (pun intended). It could give out at ANY time.

This is a good team...all they need to do is add a goalscorer or two and solidify the goaltending position to a point where there is absolutley ZERO question who's in goal and how he's going to perform on a day in-day out basis. Even if it means overpaying. Sign Giguere, trade for Nabokov or Vokoun (pure speculation, but with Mason's play this year, the fact that he's $5mil cheaper and the Preds are strapped for cash and need to re-sign Kariya, Timonen, Hartnell and Forsberg...I think Vokoun is going to be traded) and I think you have yourself a southeast division winner next season. Atlanta traded away it's future for this run. Coburn for Zhitnik? Bourret for DUPUIS? they are desperate and it didn't do them any favors for next year. Tampa is a mess.$21 mil in 3 players and their defense/goaltending has more holes than Auld does. Carolina is in position to lose Whitney, Stillman, among others as well.

[Wounded Panther]

Alex wrote:

why the sarcastic jab at cohen? from all accounts - he was willing to give luongo what he wanted.
mike keenan, on the other hand, did not, and in turn traded him for a whole lot of nothin'. i'm not a fan of cohen's - he has made plenty of mistakes to say the least, but blaming him for the luongo saga is idiotic. keenan couldn't have handled the entire situation any worse.
Eddie was awful this game. He has been great this season, but personally, I don't think he should be back. I was one of the few supporters of the move when he was brought here last offseason, but i'm not convinced he's going to be able to duplicate this season. Not just performance, but health. He's been very fortunate to stay healthy...i don't think it would be a wise move to bank our entire season....again....on his back (pun intended). It could give out at ANY time.
This is a good team...all they need to do is add a goalscorer or two and solidify the goaltending position to a point where there is absolutley ZERO question who's in goal and how he's going to perform on a day in-day out basis. Even if it means overpaying. Sign Giguere, trade for Nabokov or Vokoun (pure speculation, but with Mason's play this year, the fact that he's $5mil cheaper and the Preds are strapped for cash and need to re-sign Kariya, Timonen, Hartnell and Forsberg...I think Vokoun is going to be traded) and I think you have yourself a southeast division winner next season. Atlanta traded away it's future for this run. Coburn for Zhitnik? Bourret for DUPUIS? they are desperate and it didn't do them any favors for next year. Tampa is a mess.$21 mil in 3 players and their defense/goaltending has more holes than Auld does. Carolina is in position to lose Whitney, Stillman, among others as well.

Face it, Alan Cohen is the PuppetMaster of this hockey minstrel show gone awry.

Where is the "Belfour is God" contingent now? Hiding in their rat holes, that's where! As I stated in many of my earlier posts, any team banking their future on this washed-up 'keeper is insane.

Note to Cohen and his lapdogs Martin and Sexton: SIGN BACKSTROM AT ALL COST!
Note to Yor'skid'mark: Auld can detail fans' cars during the game.

[Bring Back yeehaw]

looks like the season is finishing

next year...maybe

[Panthersfan]

Wounded Panther wrote:

<quoted text>
Face it, Alan Cohen is the PuppetMaster of this hockey minstrel show gone awry.
Where is the "Belfour is God" contingent now? Hiding in their rat holes, that's where! As I stated in many of my earlier posts, any team banking their future on this washed-up 'keeper is insane.
Note to Cohen and his lapdogs Martin and Sexton: SIGN BACKSTROM AT ALL COST!
Note to Yor'skid'mark: Auld can detail fans' cars during the game.

Really funny man. As I stated earlier....ooooo, you r soooo sports savy. LMAO!!! The guys been playing every game since Auld tanked, hes allowed one bad game due to fatigue. You r an idiot!

[Wounded Panther]

Panthersfan wrote:

<quoted text>
Really funny man. As I stated earlier....ooooo, you r soooo sports savy. LMAO!!! The guys been playing every game since Auld tanked, hes allowed one bad game due to fatigue. You r an idiot!

And you're a greasy French Canadian frog.

[The Curse of Luongo]

Alex wrote:

why the sarcastic jab at cohen? from all accounts - he was willing to give luongo what he wanted.

Get your tongue out of Cohen's mouth long enough to realize that the Panther's management is the laughing stock of the whole league!

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