For the better part of the season, the Florida Panthers have hung around the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings, despite not being separated by many points.
But, a recent strong stretch with more consistent performances has reintroduced the Panthers back into the division race, and now they sit just four points back of the division-leading Detroit Red Wings with two games in hand.
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There are still teams between the Panthers and Red Wings. The Boston Bruins sit in second with 26 points, three more than the Panthers, but the Panthers have three games in hand. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Ottawa Senators sit one point ahead of the Panthers with the same number of games played.
The Montreal Canadiens are currently tied with the Panthers for 23 points, and the Toronto Maple Leafs sit two points back. The Buffalo Sabres sit in last in the Atlantic with 20 points.
The division is very tight, and there has been plenty of movement in the standings through the first 20 games or so, but the Panthers have the experience to take advantage of the opportunities given to them.
The Panthers are about to enter a stretch of games against teams on the outside looking in, when referring to the playoffs, and it’s time they go on a run. It all starts tonight with a rematch against the Edmonton Oilers before matchups with the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Maple Leafs, Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Sergei Bobrovsky will be in between the pipes tonight when the Panthers host Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
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