Panthers Win, but so does Carolina...Again

The old adage goes that if you don't capitalize on your opportunities, they will come back to haunt you. It's proving all too true for the Panthers, who despite a string of solid victories, find themselves no closer (7 points) to Carolina and first place in the Southeast division.

It was another inspiring performance from the cats, scoring three times in the third period to clinch a season sweep over the hapless Islanders. It also marked their fifth win in a row and an undefeated month of March. Very, very impressive.

Unfortunately, Carolina boasts exactly the same resume. They're also 5-0 in their March campaign and are 8-1 over their last 9 games. You can't blame the Panthers for failing to gain points against impossible circumstances, but you can look back on a number of blown third period leads in February and scratch your head.

Even so, there are a number of reasons to stay optimistic. For one thing, the Panthers are now the only South Florida team to sniff .500 this year (even if it's a weighted +.500 from OT losses). They also have the luxury of playing Carolina twice in their last 10 games, so they can cut the 7 point lead to 3 singlehandedly (mark 3/20 and 4/4 on your calendars).

Perhaps the best news, however, is that the Panthers have played their way back into the eighth seed discussion. Two weeks ago, it appeared that a division championship would be the only road to the postseason, but now they trail 8th seed Philadelphia by only 5 points (though with an extra game). The Panthers may not be able to catch Carolina, but they can still qualify with a little help from Philadelphia. Stay tuned for an exhilarating finish.