Don't look now -- or maybe peak just a little -- but the Florida Panthers own sole possession of the top spot in the Atlantic Division. It's been a bountiful December for the Panthers, who have won six straight dating back to Dec. 15 and have leapfrogged over the sputtering Canadiens and stagnant Red Wings. Florida's 44 points puts them one above both Montreal and Detroit in the league's tightest race in any of the four divisions.
NHL scores 2015: Panthers jump atop the Atlantic with 3-2 win over the Blue Jackets
Florida’s team to cheer for this season is not the one we’ve come to expect.
Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
The top 5 teams in the Atlantic Division are now separated by just 2 points.
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) December 28, 2015 Florida's streak has them sitting in a four-way points tie with the Kings, the Rangers and the Blackhawks as the Panthers sit in the No. 6 spot on NHL.com's official league rankings. Putting the Panthers in the same breath as teams that have all been in Stanley Cup contention over the last few years all while jumping the sinking Canadiens would be strange, if this all were a fluke. Instead, Florida has quietly been one of the more solid contenders this season.
This will all get buried under horrid attendance rates and continuous whispers of relocation to a Canadian city, but if the Panthers continue their solid play, they might just make the playoffs for only the third time in their 22-year franchise. It’s not just the secondary scoring and great goaltending that has gotten them here, it’s also how the rest of the Atlantic Division has underperformed.
Given how bad their Eastern Conference friends over in the Metro have been this year, sending five teams from the Atlantic is a possibility Florida has to be salivating over with the halfway point in the season rapidly approaching. No longer are the Panthers wallowing at the end of the talent pool, with their young talents such as Aleksander Barkov making statement goals like this first of his two tallies Sunday evening.
Like the comeback kids up in Calgary, it's hard not to feel good for the Panthers in their times of success. Much of it has to do with their charismatic fan favorite Jaromir Jagr, but a good portion of the fuzzy feelings come from seeing this franchise find success that might just be sustainable for the first time in their history.
Scores
Florida Panthers 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Carolina Hurricanes 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Arizona Coyotes 2, Colorado Avalanche 1 (OT)
3 things we learned
1. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry come alive in Ducks goal explosion
It's well known that Anaheim's goal-scoring woes have hurt them in what is a surprising year for the Ducks as they sit at the bottom of the league. Is it possible their problems have all been solved after Sunday? Most likely not, but their 4-2 win over the Flyers was one that was most needed. The goal scorers missed the most in Anaheim each had two points as captain Ryan Getzlaf finally posted a goal in the 2015-16 season that wasn't an empty netter while Corey Perry had the game winner a minute into the third for the Ducks. The win edges Anaheim closer to a .500 record in what will probably be a lost year for the Ducks.
2. Jets beat Penguins on penalty shot tally
It was a quiet evening for most of the league, but this penalty shot goal in Winnipeg was the game winner with just five minutes to play in the first period. Bryan Little was awarded the shot after Pittsburgh's Ben Lovejoy hooked the center as the forward was driving to the Penguin net. Little's penalty shot was his first of his career and the Jets first penalty shot goal since they were better known as the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2010.
Penalty shot on point. pic.twitter.com/71PJEe44XZ
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 28, 2015 Per @EliasSports: @NHLJets are the third team in NHL history to earn a 1-0 regulation win via a penalty shot goal: pic.twitter.com/PaCRYfrjGF
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 28, 2015 3. Dallas stretch lead on league to three with shutout win
The Stars now have a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals atop the NHL standings after their 3-0 shutout win over the St. Louis Blues. Getting revenge for their 3-2 shootout loss on Saturday, Dallas extended their hold on the league thanks to Jamie Benn's NHL-leading 23rd goal of the season, overtaking Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko as the pair went head to head on Sunday. With two more games in the 2015 half of the season, Dallas has the opportunity to inflate their lead even further with games against the Blue Jackets and Predators in the coming days.
Impact Moment
In more crazy standings news, Arizona is now second in the Pacific Division behind Los Angeles thanks to this overtime breakaway tally from Mikkel Boedker with 42 seconds to go in the extra hockey period.
Stat of the Night
#Flames set a new franchise record with 11 consecutive home wins. The NHL record is 23 set by the 2011-2012 Red Wings (Nov 5 to Feb 12).
— Pat Steinberg (@Fan960Steinberg) December 28, 2015 Calgary continues to impress at home with a new franchise record.
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