Florida Panthers vs. Pittsbugh Penguins November 22, 2010

The old adage that it’s hard for a team to win if it can’t score has become something the Florida Panthers have taken seriously this season. Led by Marty Reasoner, Mike Weaver, and Dennis Widemen, the Panthers’ stifling defense has allowed only four goals on power plays this season. That’s second-best in the NHL, behind the Boston Bruins. That’s also a far cry from last season, when Florida finished 23rd in the league. The Panthers have made a habit of staying out of the penalty box this time, averaging just 2.4 penalty kills per game. Altogether, the Cats have had 36 power-play opportunities against them, the fewest in the league. The success seems to be a direct result of the Panthers’ adding Reasoner and Weaver this offseason. “Both those guys have made a living out of it,” head coach Peter DeBoer says. “They’ve got a lot of ideas of how they want things done, and that’s half the battle of when you have guys that want to do that job and are willing to do that grunt work and take pride in it.” The Panthers will look to kill some penalties this Monday when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the BankAtlantic Center.

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