[moore4807]

FLA- "The high flying Oilers are in town for tonight's contest against the struggling Panthers" is how "Doc" Emrick began the pregame lead in show. Bonehead is watching it although he knows he should quit before he gets interested...
The coaches have the Panthers prepped and ready for the game, leaving him just a few moments before they hit the ice. "Gent's" Bonehead begins, "three games ago we beat the best team in the NHL and we did it convincingly". This opponent was just called high-flying by the pre-game announcers while we were described as struggling and I'm damned if I'm standing around while they hand the game to them before the puck is dropped, ARE YOU HEARING ME???" The team roars YES!!! "Play Hard, Play Smart, and Play to win! Now lets go!!! The team has a noticeable jump in their skates as they hit the ice and Bonehead and Coach Ramsay nod at each other as they take their positions behind the bench.

The first period starts out with an early goal by LW Thomas Fleischmann (2G/0A) (7.0a) at the 17:30 mark. The rest of the period is pretty even until the last 6 minutes when the Oilers suddenly start shooting pucks at the Panthers goal like 3 for $1 at the County fair... But Tim Thomas (7-5-2 2.17GAA .927 Sv) is rock solid and keeps the lead intact going into the second period. The 1st period shot totals are 14 - 7 and a cause of concern for Bonehead and the staff. No changes are planned for the second period.

This second period is exciting if your a Panthers fan as the team opens up a three to nothing lead on the visitors, and the shot totals are more modest at 9 - 8 Oilers. Bonehead and Coach Pauwelyn are discussing what he is seeing from the press box and Coach Ramsay advises he thinks we should be very defensive for the third period. Bonehead agrees and the tactics are changed to V Def for the bottom two lines and they are given 20 mins skating time over the first two lines who are given 10 mins. The Defense is unchanged as per Coach McCabe.

The tactics are mostly successful as the Oilers don't score and the Panthers tack on a fourth goal to seal the deal. The Oilers manage a 11 - 7 shots advantage in the third period and dominate the game in that category 34 - 22, but the game is a solid win for the Panthers over a quality opponent on a nationally televised network game and sets the team back on track after a rough three game losing streak.

The brash young reporter that tried baiting Bonehead earlier this season is tonight making the three stars of the game choices and Coach Pauwelyn has a beef with him outside the locker room that isn't discovered until later. Coach Pauwelyn felt that Jonathan Huberdeau had a statictically better game than either D Gudbranson or LW Winchester and wanted to know the reporters reasonings for not picking him over the others. It apparently started a scuffle and was quickly broken up by security staff and Coach Pauwelyn was escorted upstairs to the "War Room" by the time Bonehead found out about it. Bonehead vows to talk to the beat reporter and find out what his beef with the organization is before it gets out of hand.