¡¡¡¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

Yes, the Panthers do radio broadcasts in Spanish now. That's a funny overture to the Latino community of South Florida, given how the team moved from downtown Miami to Broward County suburbia because they felt they weren't close enough to white people. And that's funny considering the BB&T Center doesn't appear to be close to any people. It's across an expressway from miles and miles of swamp.

Darling starts for Crawford, Sekac in at wing, Panik should be in as well. Aaron Ekblad is supposed to return from a concussion tonight for the Cats, which should help them immensely as they've lost three in a row with no loser points. Panthers appear to be doing the whole UNSUSTAINABLE thing that the Flames did last year and the Avs the year before that, but I suspect this thing is built to last a little longer than those were (and I mean a little: when the wheels come off Luongo, they're dicked). Additionally, they have a 5-1 shootout record, which sure is high considering three-on-three was supposed to make shootouts rare, as they certainly have for us, so that plus 5 loser points has helped.

Lots of talent on that roster now, but same with ours, and Luongo doesn't scare me. Let's hope everyone gets over the crappy game from last night (which, for all the lamenting, was still just a one-goal road loss in an arena where we historically get our dicks kicked in), including Q forgiving Panik, and get back in the groove. Beatable division leader here.

_________________

Brandon Pirri is a healthy scratch for Florida. Trade forthcoming.

_________________

Nice, CH

Pirri malcontenting his way out of there, too? Looks to be an AHL lifer.

Sad state of affairs that the sparse crowd could be a lot worse...

_________________
Not a mult.

The lower-bowl seats opposite the camera and below the blue lines (in short, the ones you see all the time) are part of the club section. The people with the tickets to those seats just spend the whole game in the VIP lounge. I'm told by the Panthers faithful that this makes attendance look worse than it really is, but it still isn't even that great.

Pirri can stay in the NHL but he's been made redundant on this team.

_________________

Crap.

_________________
Not a mult.

Andrew Shaw. The Mayor of Dumb Hockey Town.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Two shots on goal, one missed, two blocked. Now that's the January hockey we're used to around here.

_________________

As opposed to another recent opponent, I bet the Panther actually offer Hawks fans a discount to show up.

_________________
Not a mult.

Sorry, but Darling sucks.

_________________
Not a mult.

On the contrary, the Panthers cut all their deep discounts.

I'm cutting my losses for the night. Low effort isn't gonna get it done here.

_________________

Crow, your table is ready.

_________________
Not a mult.

SLACKHAWKS ARE BACK

_________________

What the hell .....

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Sweet Christmas. Somebody get Darling a drink.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

We're gonna be in for a gruesome regression to the mean between now and Tuesday, aren't we. They're just not gonna give a single fuck till the break.

_________________

Leave Darling out there. Crow has earned the rest. If Darling is going to be horse shit then just let him take all these goals up his ass. Put 8 on him if this is the shit effort he is going to bring.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

I bet they will after Q is finished this intermission; however, Darling has been raging horse diarrhea so far. This is the reverse of a goalie keeping his team in the game. Having said that,



May as well until he gives up 3 more.

_________________
Not a mult.

Might have been an error to waste Crawford on the hangover game last night. If you knew everyone was going to be one hard check away from pissing themselves like the guy in Slap Shot, should have played Darling and conceded the loss right away. Oh well, just gotta hope this is an aberration and not the beginning of the customary January-February-March slump.

Do the Blackhawks dare make Michael Leighton an NHL backup again?

_________________

Actually, that probably wouldn't hurt, giving Darling some ice time, and Leighton one last shot at the big time.

_________________
Not a mult.

I think he's the only other goalie on the 50-man roster. Mark Visentin is the other goalie in Rockford but is signed directly to the team.

_________________

I believe the cap considerations will make that decision for the team.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Leighton makes a few bucks less (like around $10,000) than Darling. I believe Darling is still exempt, but Leighton is most certainly not.

_________________

When Darling skated over to play the incoming puck, his nonchalance going back to the crease worried me.

Anyway, this game's done. Gonna go get my Tele and noodle.

_________________
Not a mult.

Make it 4-0.

That was a Runblad-esqe turnover.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Darling pulled at the 8:45 in the 3rd...

for an extra skater.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Hawks going for 119+ minutes of scoreless play. This really is a rollercoaster of a team.

_________________

The Hawks have already checked out for the All Star break.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Q has checked out with them. Look at the minutes distribution tonight. They were just trying to get this over with.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

I hope they can at least muster up an effort against the Blues. After that, they can end this run just the way they started it: by shitting the bed against a Zombie Whalers team set to miss the playoffs for the seventh year in a row

_________________