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Being the champions means never having to say you’re sorry.
Or, in this case, it means there’s precisely zero panic over a rough early patch.
The Cup-hoisting Panthers hit the ground running to begin their 2024-25 title defense and were 11-3-1 after a 4-3 defeat of Philadelphia on November 9, but a 1-7-0 plunge through their subsequent eight games coincided with a dip to 13th in the most recent Power Rankings.
Things seem back to normal lately, though, thanks to a three-game run against Toronto and Carolina (twice) in which they’ve gone 3-0-0, scored 17 goals and allowed just four.
The result? They’re first in the Atlantic. First on the DraftKings list. And showing no signs that they won’t be a factor when it comes to the tournament.