Music: {allcanada} Florida (22-22-6) at Montreal (28-18-5)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

{allcanada} Florida (22-22-6) at Montreal (28-18-5)

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Game info: 7:30 pm EST Wed Feb 2, 2011
TV: RDS, FSFL

The Florida Panthers have earned points in five of their last seven games.

Unfortunately for a team like the Panthers that's hoping to work its way into the playoff picture, too many of those outcomes have resulted in a single point.

Florida tries to bounce back from another shootout loss Wednesday night when it visits the Montreal Canadiens.

The Panthers (22-22-6) are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind Atlanta for the final playoff spot. They've had plenty of chances to make up some ground over the last two weeks but have lost all four of their games that have gone past regulation.

Against Toronto on Tuesday, Cory Stillman's (notes) power-play goal with 3:41 remaining tied the score at 3, but Florida lost 4-3 in a shootout to drop to 1-2-4 in its last seven.

"You're never happy with one point," coach Peter DeBoer said, "but it was probably a fair outcome."

Although DeBoer's team suffered another loss, there were a few things Florida is hoping to build on.

David Booth (notes) recorded his team-leading 15th goal and Stephen Weiss (notes) notched his 14th for the Panthers, who scored more than two goals for just the second time in seven games.

Florida also went 2 for 4 on the power play after failing to convert on 14 chances in its previous five games.

Starter Tomas Vokoun (notes) got the night off Tuesday in the Panthers' first game back from the All-Star break. Vokoun, who has allowed two goals or fewer in two of his last three starts, made 40 saves in a 3-1 win in Montreal on Oct. 30 that snapped Florida's four-game losing streak there.

These teams met again in Florida on New Year's Eve, and James Wisniewski (notes) scored 3:41 into overtime to give the Canadiens a 3-2 win.

Montreal (28-18-5) is coming off a 3-2 shootout victory in Washington on Tuesday, as Brian Gionta (notes) had two second-period goals to help the Canadiens rally from a 2-0 deficit. Gionta, the team leader with 18 goals, also scored in the shootout for Montreal, 4-1-2 in its last seven.

"We did an excellent job of coming back," goaltender Carey Price (notes) said.

Price was unable to participate in the morning skate because his gear was left behind in a bus, and the disruption to his routine may have played a part in Washington's two goals less than 8 minutes into the game.

The All-Star settled down and made 27 saves while also stopping all three attempts in the shootout.

The Canadiens, seventh in the East with 61 points, now hope to take advantage of playing their next three in Montreal, where Price is 4-1-1 with a 2.36 goals-against average in his last six games.

Price made 28 saves in losing his second straight start against the Panthers in October.