A New Look Rivalry

Olli Jokinen is gone, doomed to suffer in Phoenix after the Panthers traded him for two young defensemen (Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton). The Cats also welcome another stud D-man in Bryan McCabe, acquired from Toronto for Mike Van Ryn. No one is happier about these moves than goalie Tomas Vokoun, who faced a league-high 2,213 shots last year and still managed a solid .919 save percentage. It’s not all defense to look forward to for Panthers fans — this year we get to check out Shawn Matthias, a 20-year-old center who plays a gritty game driving the net and scrapping for pucks. New coach Peter DeBoer has a solid team to work with, and Panthers fans can look forward to a hard-hitting season with eyes on ending the playoff drought. Watch the new look Panthers crush their division rival Thrashers tonight at 7 p.m. at the BankAtlantic Center (1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise). Tickets can be had from ticketmaster.com for as little as $17.
Sat., Oct. 11, 7 p.m., 2008