First RoundFlorida Panthers Stanely Cup run may be short
By Tim Wharnsby
Posted: Sunday, April 8, 2012 | 10:51 AM
Categories: FLA VS NJD, First Round
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Kris Versteeg's playoff experience will be important to the Florida Panthers as they take on the New Jersey Devils. (Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
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No. 3 Florida Panthers (38-26-18--94 pts) vs. No. 6 New Jersey Devils (48-28-6--102 pts)
Three storylines
1. The Panthers return to the playoffs for the first time since 2000. It was the longest active playoff drought in the NHL.That now belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs at seven seasons. But just because many Panthers are entering the playoffs for the first time, including rookie head coach Kevin Dineen, they do have some Stanley Cup winners in Kris Versteeg, Brian Campbell, Mikael Samuelsson, Tomas Kopecky and John Madden.
2. Devils head coach Peter DeBoer also will make his first trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs. He was behind the Panthers bench in the past three seasons and now gets to go up against his former club.
3. Will Dineen start Jose Theodore or backup Scott Clemmensen in goal? The reason we ask is because Clemmensen has gone 5-0-0 in his career against his former team.
Season series - Panthers 2-1-1.
Nov. 21 - Panthers 4-3 at Florida
Dec. 13 - Devils 3-2 (OT) at New Jersey
Jan. 06 - Devils 5-2 at New Jersey
Feb. 11 - Panthers 3-1 at New Jersey
Prediction - Devils in five
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About the Author
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
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