head coach: Doug MacLean

roster: C - Kirk Muller, Rob Niedermayer, Dave Gagner, Steve Washburn, Chris Wells. LW - Johan Garpenlov, Dave Lowry, Bill Lindsay, Radek Dvorak, David Nemirovsky. RW - Scott Mellanby, Ray Sheppard, Jody Hull, Tom Fitzgerald. D - Robert Svehla, Gord Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener, Dallas Eakins. G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Fitzpatrick, Kevin Weekes.

injuries: Dallas Eakins, d (MCL, 6 weeks); John Vanbiesbrouck, g (groin strain, day to day); Kevin Weekes, g (cut finger, 2 to 3 weeks); Radek Dvorak, rw (broken wrist, 3 to 6 weeks); Steve Washburn, c (shoulder, 2 to 3 weeks).

transactions: Sent and recalled Mark Fitzpatrick, g, to and from the Fort Wayne Komets (IHL) for a brief reconditioning stint. Recalled Todd MacDonald from the Cincinatti Cyclones (IHL). He is the only Panther on the Cyclones this year as there is no longer an affiliation agreement (having been replaced with the Komets of the IHL).

standings:

Eastern Conference - Atlantic Division   
Team         GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   
Philadelphia 16   8   5   3    19   48   40
New Jersey   12   8   4   0    16   41   23
Washington   14   7   5   2    16   44   36
NY Islanders 13   6   5   2    14   40   33
NY Rangers   15   3   6   6    12   36   41
Florida      13   3   7   3     9   28   42
Tampa Bay    13   2   9   2     6   23   43

game results:

10/22 at Montreal  L 3-0 
10/23 at Ottawa    T 2-2 
10/25 at Boston    W 5-4   
10/28 Los Angeles  T 2-2 
10/30 Ottawa       L 5-2 
11/01 Buffalo      L 4-3 OT

team news:

by Eric Seiden, Florida Correspondent

"It's a hockey night in South Florida, and here come your Panthers," screamed the announcer to the empty stands. In true Miami fashion, fans stay away from losing teams in droves. The Panthers were really happy to have Robbie Niedermayer back because in the 5-2 Loss to Ottawa, the club got some more bad news when they learned that right wing Radek Dvorak will be sidelined three to six weeks with a fractured left wrist. Dvorak suffered the injury in the third period when he was slammed into the boards while diving for a puck.

The Panthers resumed their lackluster play when they went on a road trip to Montreal and then Ottawa. Goaltender Kevin Weekes got his first NHL start and was only the fourth goaltender to ever wear a Panthers uniform in a regular season game (Eldon “Pokey” Reddick was the other for those keeping track). He earned Kudos and first star of the game for his standup performance against the Senators, the loss clearly not being his fault. Finger pointers were at a loss on whom to pick on in Montreal, but the fingers started aiming at the defense as the inability-to-win streak picked up steam.

While the Panthers escaped with a win in Boston, they returned home to play Los Angeles and clutched defeat from the jaws of victory with a stellar performance by Eddie Jovanovski. Unfortunately, it was for the other team. The hapless Panthers are miscuing on every play. Passes fail to connect, goalies get beaten, defenseman fail to defend, and in short they lose. It would be unfair to blame it all on Jovanovski, because everyone has had their bad moments. Even the solid Rhett Warrener scored the winning goal against his own goalie in overtime against Buffalo, beating Mark Fitzpatrick with the back of his stick in a moment that made fans cringe. Gord Murphy had a similar miscue earlier this year. In short, the Panthers are not playing well together.

Many people are speculating that Coach Doug MacLean may be at fault. Others (such as this reporter) fault Joe Cirella, a former Panther, who took over for Lindy Ruff as an assistant coach. Primarily working on the defense, Cirella doesn’t have the hockey smarts Lindy had and that was the only coaching change the team made since last year. Others say MacLean really isn’t a leader, and that the team that played so well together has been ruined by trades (Barnes, Woolley), losses (Skrudland, Hough), and acquisitions that have failed to perform as well as they should have (Muller, Wells).

Speaking of Wells, many fans are really impressed with his efforts. While nobody is mistaking him for a superstar yet, one of the most maligned players last year has developed a huge following this year because he’s been out busting his ass all night, every night, and his extraordinary efforts have not been lost on the fans.

In addition, many current players are not playing up to par: Fitzpatrick, Vanbiesbrouck, Nemirovsky, Washburn, Jovanovski, Hull, Lowry. At least half of these names have been mentioned in recent trade rumors.

The bottom line, though, is that MacLean is the captain of the ship, and the ship is leaking. The captain is making no serious effort to save it by fixing either his coaching, his assistants' coaching, the players (by way of trade, call-ups, demotions), or the attitude in general. Part of the fault lies with team chemistry -- clearly there's something missing, part lies with coaching, and part lies with effort, or lack thereof, on some players' parts (not all).

MacLean is suffering a classic problem: things just aren't working and he has to come up with something new. But to this point the well is dry. It looks like it might be a long season for Panthers fans if something doesn’t change. Because clearly even when the Panthers have a good game, they don’t win. And that’s all that counts in this business.

* Here's the latest press release from the Florida Panthers...

             -------------------------------------------
             - Florida Panthers News Release (via Fax) -
             -------------------------------------------
         (C)1993-1997, Florida Panthers. All Rights Reserved. 
         Portions may be (C)1993-1997, National Hockey League
                      Distributed with permission.
            Visit the Panthers at http://www.flpanthers.com

USA Hockey today named John Vanbiesbrouck to the 1998 US Olympic Men's Ice Hockey team which will compete in the XVII Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

Vanbiesbrouck, a native of Detroit, MI, played for the US in the 1984, 1987, and 1991 Canada's Cup tournaments and was one of 18 members selected today by 1998 US Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team GM Lou Lamoriello, ISA Hockey President Walter L Bush JR, and USA Hockey International Concil Chairman Ron DeGreorio. The remaining six members of the team will be announced no later than December First.

"It is a great honor to be given the opportunity to represent my country in international competition," said Vanbiesbrouck. "I hope I'm healthy and ready to contribute in any way I can."

The XVII Olympic Winter Games will be held February 7-22 in Nagano Japan, and for the first time ever players from the NHL will represent their national federations in Olympic competition. The NHL will suspend play from February 8th to 24th and take an unprecedented 'winter break' in order to make players available to compete.

The men's ice hockey tournament, which will feature 14 teams, will be played 2-7 to 2-22 in Nagano City. Six teams -- Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the USA -- have automatically quailified for the championship round of the tournament which begins 2-13. The championship round will include eight teams, the six automatic qualifiers plus two teams that advance from the preliminary round will be divided into two groups of four. The teams will play a three-game round robin tournament within their respective groups to determine seeding for the quarterfinal round which will be played 2-18. Four teams advance from the quarterfinal to the semifinal set for 2-20, with the bronze game slated for 2-21 and the gold medal game set for 2-22.

================================================================
DATE OF PRESS RELEASE #2: 11-3-97

The Florida Panthers have recalled Todd MacDonald (G) from the Cincinatti Cyclones of the IHL, it was announced today. MacDonald, 22, has played in five games this season at Cincinatti and has a record of 1-1-1, a GAA of 2.45 and a save percentage of .912. He has never made a NHL start.

Vanbiesbrouck is day to day with the a strained groin which he suffered in Boston 10-25. Weekes is out 2-3 weeks with a cut right pinky finger suffered on 11-1 vs Buffalo.

=============================END PRESS RELEASE=====================

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