The Panthers had more than enough chances to get a needed playoff-race win against fading Dallas on Saturday night. And they had just enough failures to lose, 2-1, on a goal with 1:07 left in the third period.
Don’t blame Thomas Vanek, acquired by the Panthers at the trade deadline. In his first game at BB&T Center, Vanek gift wrapped two golden chances for the tiebreaking goal to pal Nick Bjugstad. Bjugstad missed a living, room-sized open net in the second period on a two-on-one and put a mini-breakaway over the net in the third.
Vanek almost untied the game himself in the third, but his third shot in a flurry around the net hit Dallas defenseman Jamie Oleksiak lounging along the goal line.