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head coach: Bryan Murray

roster: C - Kirk Muller, Rob Niedermayer, Radek Dvorak, Dave Gagner, Chris Wells, Steve Washburn. LW - Ray Whitney, Johan Garpenlov, Viktor Kozlov, Bill Lindsay, Peter Worrell. RW - Scott Mellanby, Dino Ciccarelli, David Nemirovsky. D - Robert Svehla, Gord Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener, Jeff Norton, Dallas Eakins. G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Kirk McLean, Kevin Weekes.

injuries: Does it really matter?

transactions: The Panthers signed Mark Parrish who was recently acquired from Colorado in exchange for Tommy Fitzgerald.

standings:

Eastern Conference - Atlantic Division   
Team           GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   
z-New Jersey   82  48  23  11   107  225  166  
x-Philadelphia 82  42  29  11    95  242  193
x-Washington   82  40  30  12    92  219  202  
NY Islanders   82  30  41  11    71  212  225  
NY Rangers     82  25  39  18    68  197  231  
Florida        82  24  43  15    63  203  256 
Tampa Bay      82  17  55  10    44  151  269  

x - Clinched playoff spot
z - Clinched conference

game results:

04/07 Toronto          L 3-1  
04/09 Philadelphia     W 3-2 
04/11 at Pittsburgh    T 3-3   
04/12 at New Jersey    T 5-5  
04/14 Ottawa           L 3-2  
04/16 Philadelphia     L 7-3  
04/18 at Tampa Bay     T 2-2  

team news:

by Eric Seiden, Florida Correspondent

"It's a hockey night in South Florida, and here come your Panthers," screamed the announcer with far more enthusiasm than the sparse crowds felt. The Panthers home sell-out streak ended after over two season's worth of consecutive sell-outs. The loyal fans still came, but the magic had long since left the soon to be abandoned Miami Arena. The new and sterile Broward County Arena will replace it come next season. Local hockey fans' talk turned to the expansion draft and who would be protected and who wouldn't.

Fans, still stinging from the trade and the possibility it was for naught, were relieved when the Panthers announced that they had finally signed Mark Parrish to a three-year deal. Parrish, 21, was acquired from Colorado March 24, along with a 1998 third-round pick in exchange for fan favorite Tom Fitzgerald. Rumors continue to swirl that Fitzgerald, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, will re-sign with the team and that a deal was worked out before he left. Most fans, though, are skeptical having a now deep-seeded distrust from Bryan Murray. The buttons sporting a picture of General Manager and Head Coach Bryan Murray with a circle around his face and a line through it, along with the caption "NO BM" have become a common sight at the games.

Anyone could spend the whole day talking about the last home game against Philadelphia and why the Panthers lost it, but it would read like every other article written so far. So rather than review the game, what follow are a few brief comments and a discussion of the Last Game at Miami Arena.

Kirk McLean started the game though many fans felt slighted the Beezer didn't start at home, likely his last start in a Panther uniform. He began with the franchise and it was felt he should leave in glory. However, after four goals, Beezer, to thunderous applause, started the third. It was only fitting he end the Panthers run at the Arena as he started it. The sheer sadness of seeing Beezer playing his last home game was lost on many people who hold on to the false belief he'll be a Panther next year. But the fans proved they still love him. Beezer will go on to play, likely as an Islander, but he'll always be a Panther to everyone here.

Eric Lindros is not a cheap shot artist, though I will likely take flack from every Panther fan for saying so. He is, however, a reckless fool who skates while wildly slinging his stick. During the game I said to some nearby fans Lindros should be thrown out of the league. One fan said back to me, "But if he was on your team, you'd love him." No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't be proud of a team he played on. I don't want any part of it.

Running up the score is unprofessional in any sport at any level. With a few seconds on the clock Philadelphia had the puck and could have dumped it or skated around with it, but instead went for the kill (and they did in fact score) adding it to their empty-net goal. I have no respect for a team like that -- scumwads to the last.

As the clock ran down fans exited in droves, skipping the closing ceremony. Miami fans should be banned from attending sports events. I am ashamed to be associated with the cretins.

A special condemnation to the fans who threw rats DURING the game after the goals; THANK YOU VERY MUCH for giving one goal to Philadelphia. The resulting power play from the delay of game led to a goal by the Flyers. Yes, the players, coaches, management, local media, and fans all over agreed it would be a fine way to send the team off to its new home. But not during the game! Just think, *YOU* may have been the reason we lost the game. Have you no common sense whatsoever?

On the way in fans were all given a free copy of the final Breakway (Panthers game program) and a commemorative ticket. Merchandise at all stands was slashed even more -- as much as 80% off some items. This leads many to believe we'll have a new logo next year because all items were slashed including jerseys for as low as $24!

The game began with a video. This was the same one they showed before the very first opening ceremony in the Panthers inaugural season. A touching memory of good times since past. The Panther head was rolled out and the fireworks were let loose as our Panthers took the ice to raucous cheering. It was almost reminiscent of the good times.

The game took place to a nearly full house. Nearly full and it was our final game here. The long sell-out streak ended March 17th, though it took Panthers management a few weeks to finally admit it. The first Panther goal went in within seconds of Philadelphia's first goal and the rats littered the ice and fans were warned. The next time we were penalized. This caused the aforementioned tide-turning goal.

Finally, the game ended. The ice was buried under a deluge of rats. The only thing to make it more perfect would have been a dusting off of "It's Raining Rats" -- the theme song of our Stanley Cup run.

The injured Panthers came out wearing their jerseys and joined their teammates who remained on the bench. A new video showing the Panthers' first five years was played. The loudest applause came for the clip of The Goal -- Lindsay's burning of Ray Bourque versus the Bruins in the 1995-96 playoffs. The second loudest cheer came at the clip of the ceremony for the Panthers' Stanley Cup performance when permanent fan favorite, and beloved ex-coach, Doug MacLean got doused with water.

The original six Panthers were introduced first by accomplishment, then by name, and finally number. Sadly very few fans seemed to know who would be next until the name came: recent sports history apparently is not something people keep up on. I was shouting my head off. I wanted to cry: silly sentimental me. There was a short speech and then the giveaways commenced. And thus ended year five and the tenure at Miami Arena.

To those who invariably send me harsh e-mail for judging my fellow fans, allow me to say that in five years I have missed two and only two Panther homes games. One was due to surgery. I have seen the first minute of every single one of those games, and the last minute of all but perhaps a dozen: this includes pre-seasons, regular season, and post-season. And, I have never booed my team off the ice, though I will admit to the desire at times. It just isn't cool.

To ruin the last game of the season (at Tampa Bay) for two teams took the work of Fox, inventors of the insipid glowing puck. The final game of the season for Tampa and Florida was to be a Fox game and shown at 3pm. However, since both teams were fighting for a last place finish in the NHL, and ratings were expected to be around six people, Fox elected not show the game. Sunshine (who shows Tampa games) and SportsChannel Florida (who shows Panther games), both wanted to televise it regionally. Fox declined to allow either network the rights to show the game, though it certainly could have. After some weeks the game was moved to 7:30pm so it could be shown in Tampa. SCFL had previously agreed to show a basketball game at this time and it was unable to carry the game. The NHL, in its limited wisdom, decided to refuse the Center Ice package to carry the game, thereby denying anyone in South Florida from seeing the contest. This made only the fourth game in three years not televised locally.

The game itself was memorable for being boring as hell. In the third period, Kirk Muller tied it up making it 2-2, but on that play Tampa Bay goalie, and former Panther, Mark Fitzpatrick was knocked unconscious for close to ten minutes. While the nature of his injury was not known as of this writing, he was clearly hurt. He lay still and when he finally awoke he was twitching. Before removing him from the ice on a stretcher, his equipment was removed, his head and neck were immobilized. Subsequent video playbacks show he was creamed by his own player -- there is no need to say who it was for it was clearly a hellish freak accident. The will to win left the fans and both teams. The final tie score was a proper way to end it. Get well, Mark.

In brighter news, Eddie Jovanovski, recently called "JovoFlop" by The Hockey News, was chosen to play for Team Canada in May's World Championship. Other Panther members are expected to play for their teams as well, but final selections were not available at deadline.

Seating for the new arena is being assigned within two weeks. If you don't get notified by May first, contact your ticket sales person.

Lastly, when the Panthers first started one of the inaugural year contests was the Million Dollar puck shoot contest. Someone almost got it. After a subsequent lawsuit, it appears the scumwad's getting the money anyway.

It took a jury less than an hour to settle the score so Randy Giunto could claim a $1 million annuity he was sure he won during intermission of a Panthers game at Miami Arena on March 18, 1994.

Giunto's lawsuit against the sponsors (Florida Panthers, Coca-Cola and Blockbuster Entertainment) stemmed from a contest in which he was required to shoot a puck from the far blue line (120 feet) into a makeshift goal just a fraction of an inch larger than the puck.

Giunto's shot from the second blue line appeared good in the eyes of the crowd which erupted in celebration after his shot. It also appeared good to Giunto who was congratulated by officials and others on the ice. However the rules stated the puck must cross the line fully (which is the NHL rule). A puck that goes partially across but not fully across is not a goal.

But the contest judge, a Panthers employee standing off the ice nearly 40 feet from the goal, ruled the shot didn't meet the contest rules. He claimed that the puck failed to completely penetrate the goal.

"I made the shot and the crowd went crazy," Giunto said, holding the infamous puck after the verdict. "Later they told me that I didn't make it. That's when I decided to get an attorney." He fails to see that the crowd doesn't make the decision - the judge does. Sometimes justice isn't served by lawyers.

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