The resurgent James Reimer, victorious against divisional foes BUF and BOS (conceived solely one goal combined), opposed former Panther Craig Anderson. Ultimately however, only one goaltender would end up victorious, but who would it be?
With premier offensive-defenseman Erik Karlsson becoming unexpectedly scratched because of a family related matter (death of Erik’s expected child – my condolences), the Panthers unquestionably gained the upper-hand, regarding their current probabilities of winning.
Additionally, Alexander Petrovic (nagging injury) and Maxim Mamin (benched/healthy-scratched) were notable scratches, with promising youngster Ian McCoshen and gritty enforcer Micheal Haley becoming inserted as instant replacements.