Florida Panthers keep rolling into 2024, CBS News Miami’s Steve Goldstein

SUNRISE – What a difference a year makes. Starting in 2023, the Florida Panthers were near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and wondering if they would make the playoffs. After opening 2024 with a win in Arizona on Tuesday, they’ve won five in a row, sit third in the East, and second in the Atlantic division.

The Panthers are not giving up many scoring chances and when opponents do get them, Sergei Bobrovsky is making the saves. It’s all added up to a solid first half of the season and a favorable schedule ahead. It’s unlikely the Panthers will need to grind their way to the last playoff spot on the season’s final days.

Scoring Sam
Sam Reinhart continues on one of the great goal-scoring seasons in team history. Reinhart has back-to-back 30 goal seasons as a Panther, but in year three, he is pacing to shatter his career high. He again scored the game winner on the road against the Coyotes and has 24 goals in 37 games.

Bobrovsky’s Best
Following last season’s playoff run, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has carried the confidence and high level of play into this season. While the team is playing excellent defensive hockey in front of him, Bobrovsky has made the big saves at key times in games. It’s his best first half of a regular season in his 5 year Panther career.

Fighting Gus
Gustav Forsling is a great defenseman. He’s a smooth skater, shot blocker, and offensive contributor. But he has never started an NHL fight nor even been in one. Scratch both off his list. After Arizona’s Jason Zucker boarded Nick Cousins, without hesitation, Forsling jumped in and dropped the gloves. He got a 2-minute instigator penalty, a 5-minute penalty for fighting, and a 10-minute misconduct. His teammates loved it and when he finally came back in the game’s final minutes Forsling scored an empty net goal to put the game away. Don’t mess with Gus.

Barkov Tops ’em All
Captain Aleksander Barkov set up Reinhart’s game-winning goal on Tuesday. It was Barkov’s 416th assist, the most in franchise history. Barkov is now first in basically every Panthers category, and there’s plenty of time to add to it. He is a franchise player and likely will win his second Selke award as the league’s best defensive forward.