Florida has won five straight games for the second time this season

The Florida Panthers started 2024 right where they left off in 2023, with a win in a game in which they never trailed on Tuesday night in Tempe.

Florida picked up a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes, a game where the Panthers were in full control, despite the Coyotes tying the game at one with a shorthanded goal by Alexander Kerfoot at 3:17 of the third period. Florida would respond with three third period goals to pull away and claim two road points.

Florida is currently on a stretch where they have not trailed in 291:02 of hockey, going back to their first matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 23.

“Our whole game has been sound,” Panthers forward Sam Bennett said following Wednesday’s practice in Las Vegas. “I like our 60-minute effort. We have not had a bad period. I think every game we’ve been solid. We are having good starts, we’re rolling, and we are playing the right way.”

The Panthers scored first in every game except the first game of the win streak, and they are 16-0-2 when scoring first this season. Florida, however, dominated the first 20 minutes of the first game too, where they lead in shots 20-3 after the first period, but could not find the back of the net.

Ultimately, Florida would still skate to a 4-2 victory over the Golden Knights,

The Panthers will see the Golden Knights for the second and final time this regular season on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena.

The field of competition has not been easy for the Panthers in the days since they faced off against the Golden Knights.

There was also their cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers, two teams at the top of the NHL on the power play.

Florida’s penalty kill was a perfect five for five against the two teams.

Even on a night where the Panthers stars players were kept in check against the Montreal Canadiens, Florida got depth scoring from forward Eetu Luostainen, with both of his goals coming on the power play for his first multi-goal game of his career.

This time last season, the team did not get their first three game winning streak until February.

With 37 games under their belt, they not only have one, but two five-game winning streaks; the first of the two came between Nov. 6 and Nov. 14.

So, what has the team done well during this stretch?

They’ve stuck to their blueprint, hard checking and forcing the opposition to the perimeter.

The increase in size that came with Florida’s 2023 offseason additions has also been a key component when it comes to battles along the boards, especially with zone exits.

“Being five [players] tight in all three zones is really important to us,” said Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “We don’t really like to play a stretch game and leave players behind. That’s a key component of our game, it creates a tight group in all three zones to the point where you always feel like you have it out in a play.” 

The team’s ability to protect the middle of the ice and win puck battles, combined with both Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz being on top of their games, has resulted in the Panthers giving up just under two goals against per game during the win streak.

“What I like about our game right now is each piece of our game,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “The five components: two special teams, defensive game, your goaltending, your offensive game, they all have a piece to it. [Bobrovsky] was not overworked last night, but he needed to be good two or three times and he was. Our penalty kill, we don’t talk about it much because it’s been so efficient. Our power play is right about 25% in the last 16 games, and it’s been a game winner for us at times. So, I do not feel that our game is carried by one component.”

Overall, the Panthers power play is 20th in the NHL at exactly 20%. During the win streak, the Panthers are at a 30% clip, where Sam Reinhart continues to score with a league-leading 11 power play goals on the season. Florida has drawn more penalties than its opposition by a significant margin, 20 power play opportunities to their oppositions 11.

Timing is everything sometimes. The Panthers will be done playing games in the Pacific Time and Mountain Time zones after their game Saturday in Colorado. They will have only three games left in the Central Time zone: Jan. 9 at St. Louis, Jan. 22 at Nashville, and March 12 at Dallas.

Travel will become lighter; the Panthers are currently four points behind the Boston Bruins for the top of the Atlantic Division with Boston having a game in hand.

While having a record of 13-2-2 against the Eastern Conference, and two more matchups against Boston, it is certainly there for the taking for the Panthers to compete for top spot and possibly get their second division title in the last three seasons.

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