Olympic Spirit

Maybe the Winter Olympics should be played every year. Or at least the NHL should always take a two-week break in February, because ever since the Olympics, the Florida Panthers have looked like a different team on the ice. Forget those guys who couldn't close out opponents. This Panthers squad...

By RICHARD BIEBRICH

March 18, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Maybe the Winter Olympics should be played every year. Or at least the NHL should always take a two-week break in February, because ever since the Olympics, the Florida Panthers have looked like a different team on the ice. Forget those guys who couldn't close out opponents. This Panthers squad plays with energy from the drop of the puck to the final horn.

So what does that mean for the visiting Nashville Predators when they skate into the BankAtlantic Center this Monday? Well, they aren't facing the early-season Panthers team they thrashed in Nashville 4-1 last fall. That loss was the fourth in a five-game streak for the Panthers. But the Predators, who are fighting for the seventh or eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff, won't face back-up goalie Scott Clemmensen this time around. Tomas Vokoun, an original Predator, should be in goal for the Cats.
Mon., March 29, 7:30 p.m., 2010

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.