COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Forget, forget, forget. That's the Panthers' mantra these days after losing five of their past six games. Of course, that's much easier to do in theory than in reality.
Coach Kevin Dineen gave his battered players Saturday off after a brutal two-game stretch in which Florida held a 2-1 lead in Minnesota before losing it with 30 seconds left and falling in overtime. On Friday, the Panthers got blown out by the worst team in hockey playing a 22-year-old goalie making just his third NHL start as Columbus rolled to a 4-1 win.
With losses to five teams booking summer cabins in its past six games, things don't get easier for Florida as it visits league power Detroit on Sunday. Then comes the final three games against a scrappy Winnipeg team, a Washington squad trying to overtake the Panthers for its fifth consecutive Southeast Division title and a season finale Saturday against Carolina.
Yes, the final week of the season is upon us. The Panthers hope this isn't their last week of said season.
"This road trip is all about getting as many points as we can," Scottie Upshall said. "Sunday's game, right now, is our biggest game of the season. This is where our attention has to be."
Dineen has preached "amnesia" is the best remedy for stretches like this, although before hitting this recent rough patch, the Panthers won five in a row for the first time in four years. So although the Panthers should forget about what's happened lately, they also should remember what it felt like not too long ago.
"We are .500 on this road trip so a win Sunday makes it a good road trip," said Brian Campbell, whose team has gone 1-1-1 in the first three games of the trip. "Anything is possible."
Scoring some goals sure would cure what ails the Panthers. In the past six games, Florida has scored a total of nine goals. Florida scored a grand total of three in losses to the Wild and Blue Jackets — two teams that cashed in their playoff hopes long ago.
Detroit is not one of those teams. The Red Wings are fighting for the top seed in the Western Conference. That might actually be a good thing for the Panthers. Instead of playing a loose team with nothing to lose, Florida and Detroit will both be focused on winning the game.
"Detroit is a fun place to play and a great challenge," Campbell said.
elsewhere
• According to sportsclubstats.com, the Panthers went into Saturday with a 95 percent chance of winning the Southeast Division just by going 2-2 in their final four games; by going 1-0-3, the Panthers would clinch the division for the first time in franchise history.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, only one team led its division with five games left and didn't make the playoffs — and the Panthers had a hand in that. In 2007-08, Carolina had led the Southeast from the start of the season until the final day when it was overtaken by Washington.
The Hurricanes could have clinched the division in their season finale on April 4, 2008, yet lost at home to the Panthers. Carolina then needed Florida to beat the Capitals the following day. The Panthers lost 3-1 and Washington claimed what became the first of its four consecutive division titles. Carolina dropped from the third seed in the Eastern Conference to ninth and missed the playoffs by three points.
• Kris Versteeg is obviously still dealing with the hip injury that shut him down for nine games as he hasn't scored since Feb. 12. He got an assist on Tomas Kopecky's goal against the Blue Jackets — his first point in nine games.
Versteeg is still second on the team with 22 goals and fourth with 50 points.
"I liked his game in Montreal, thought he had some bounce to his step," Dineen said. "He was moving his feet, creating some chances. He's a valuable piece, plays on both sides of the special teams. He's a valuable part of our team. There will come a time when his skill will pop open. It's coming. We have plenty of confidence in him. He has his work boots on right now."
• The Red Wings will likely be watching Stephen Weiss very closely Sunday as the Florida center has three goals and four assists in eight games against Detroit.
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