As the Panthers' grip on that long longed-for playoff spot and first Southeast Division title seems a tad more precarious than a week ago, they left for a four-game trip that could go a long way toward deciding both.
It will be interesting to see if they alleviate the pressure on themselves, increase it or succumb to it.
On paper, the road trip favors the Panthers. Before visiting erstwhile Stanley Cup contender Detroit, the Panthers face Playing for Pride Parade marchers Montreal (last in the East), Minnesota and Columbus (last in the NHL).
Three wins and two regulation losses by Buffalo or Washington, who play each other Tuesday, and the Panthers find the postseason for the first time since the Clinton administration.
"There's a diverse way we could look at those games," Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said of the opponents' varied stature. "I think what we do is bring it back to us and think about how we can be effective. Stick to what has worked for us this year.
"When we do that, I think we'll be fine."
Then again, having two home games against bottom-dwelling Edmonton and the Islanders set up as a four-point weekend despite the young and very talented individuals on each team. Instead, the Panthers came away with a pair of loser points after continuing their goal-scoring slump (eight goals in five games) and lost two shootouts.
If this seems familiar from the Panthers, you probably threw a plastic rat back in the day. The 1995-96 team stormed through the first 59 games with 77 points, a 108-point pace. But during the next 21 games, they lost three times to Tampa Bay, a team they had outscored 16-6 in winning the first three meetings that season; suffered their first-ever loss to last-place Ottawa and losses to non-playoff teams Hartford and Buffalo by a combined 13-2.
The future Eastern Conference champions didn't clinch a playoff spot until after game No. 80 — which they lost. With the playoffs assured and the pressure off, they closed the regular season with five of their best periods.
Panthers assistant coach Gord Murphy played on the No. 2 defense pair for that team and was asked Monday if this year's Panthers were going through something similar.
"First of all, there are no easy games in our league," Murphy said. "[Then, there's] the expression, the closer you get, the harder it gets.' It's a combination of your opponent knows what's on the line and they get up for the game. They like to be the ones who knock you off. And the internal pressure of the players on our team.
"Nobody wants to have success like the guys in the room for all the right reasons — for the fans, for the organization, for each other. There's just that added pressure, sometimes it makes it that much harder," Murphy said.
"It's just about the guys believing, relaxing, supporting one another and having the confidence to get the job done."
Panthers forward Sean Bergenheim said team confidence remains high, and the task of ending the drought doesn't weigh on the team.
"I would not say 'weighs on it,' '' Bergenheim said. "On the contrary, it makes us hungrier. The guys that are part of this team want to change the culture that's been here. We want to bring a winning team to Florida. I say it's more of a pride thing."
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