Del Zotto - Shy Panthers Cant Overcome Slow Start In Loss To Rangers - Camera

SUNRISE, Fla. - If this Panthers had been auditioning for a new future starring position from the really performing HBO 24/7 series around the approaching Winter Classic, fuhgetaboutit.

The possibilities with the Panthers participating in while in the annual patio extravaganza inside Marlins new arena - which pits that New York Rangers as well as Philadelphia Flyers with NBC with Monday in Citizens Bank Park - tend to be since likely as your South Florida snowstorm.

Still, your injury-weakened Panthers might ve liked to get shown your plenty this their first-place place plus finest start out throughout 11 decades was zero fluke.

Unfortunately, Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen picked out a bad occasion to help experience stage fright when they authorized some tissue-soft goals while in the primary period of time to be able to assistance propel that Rangers to a 4-1 success Friday nighttime inside a crammed BankAtlantic Center.

"You re also actively playing among the major clubs inside meeting and also you take a look at your standings as well as league features us upwards in that , location and also I d assume all of us d become better geared up as compared to most of us were," Panthers private coach Kevin Dineen said. "There were being quite a few breakdowns before (Clemmensen) and afre the wedding on the day his career could be to stop that puck."

At smallest the particular brawl while in the final a few moments need to catch HBO ersus focus seeing that soon after Rangers Michael Del Zotto forechecked Tomas Kopecky from the back, Kopecky decked him, however , was pummeled by Mike Rupp. Kopecky attained a match up charges and would should take a seat out Saturday verts New Year s Eve online game contrary to the Canadiens.

"Some guy crosschecks people from the backside this individual warrants a demolish while in the face. He obtained what exactly your dog deserved and also and then males this participate in five moments a night, that azines common many people fall out there in addition to grab one of our own experienced players," Dineen said.

The Panthers certainly failed for you to avenge a 6-1 drubbing by the Rangers 19 days and nights ago throughout Madison Square Garden, for your combined 10-2 shellacking.

Even together with core Stephen Weiss back in the particular lineup after a two-game absence, the Panthers ended up not any match up to the Atlantic Division-leading Rangers exactly who transferred in to first position of the Eastern Conference, five items well before third-place Florida.

Weiss couldn t convert a pair of point-blank likelihood and the Panthers click a couple of posts.

Just 35 moments following a opening faceoff your Rangers scored about their first shot when fresh Carl Hagelin deflected around Ryan Callahan ersus soft shot. The Panthers could ve hoisted this white flag appropriate there since the Rangers, winners of 6 months time in their last seven, at the moment are 18-1-1 whenever scoring first.

Also, Rangers stingy goalie Henrik Lundqvist (27 saves) entered using a 1.95 goals-against-average.

It had been the best target by way of every Panthers opponent this season.

Brad Richards used having a new 35-foot wrister during 5:10. Then at 15:37, Del Zotto snapped a new 52-footer past Clemmensen verts glove plus Dineen had viewed enough.

Clemmensen misplaced his initial game belonging to the time of year (3-1-2) soon after quiting three goals with 14 shots.

The Panthers ultimately spoiled Lundqvist utes shutout bid on Matt Bradley s backhander for their minute target on the season at 9:28. It snapped Bradley utes 18-game goal drought and also structure the deficit in order to three once a couple periods.

Sugar Bowl - Michigan Hopes To Have Robinson For Another Season - College Football

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) Denard Robinson said he expects to be back at Michigan next season.

The dynamic quarterback, though, has filed paperwork with the NFL Draft Advisory Board to get a gauge of where he might be selected if he skips his senior season. He said he is still waiting for a response.

That is something that I am not even focused on, Robinson told reporters Friday in New Orleans. I am focused on the bowl game, being here with my teammates and having fun.

Wolverines coach Brady Hoke will have a lot more fun next season which kicks off against Alabama at Cowboys Stadium if Robinson returns. But he and Robinson have talked about getting an opinion from the draft board.

I think it s a smart to get an idea, Hoke said. I expect him to be back here, but we ll find out what happens. I m not going to live in hypothetics, but when we get the information we ll proceed.

Robinson will lead No. 13 Michigan (10-2) against No. 17 (11-2) on Tuesday in the Sugar Bowl . Hoke hopes the game doesn t prove to be Robinson s college finale, but has no doubt the speedy player with an inconsistent arm can be an NFL quarterback.

There are some guys playing at the next level who have the same skill set, Hoke said.

One of them is Philadelphia s Michael Vick, a former Hokies star, who is about the same height and about 20 pounds heavier than the 6-foot, 195-pound Robinson. Growing up in Deerfield Beach, Fla., Robinson marveled at what Vick did on the field with his legs and arm.

It looked like he was playing against kids, Robinson said. I rooted for him. I was a big fan of Vick.

Robinson also is fond of former Michigan coach , whose spread offense drew him to college football s winningest program and helped him have a statistically spectacular season last year. As a sophomore in his first year as a starter, Robinson became the first NCAA player to pass for 2,500 yards and run for 1,500 in a season.

This season, he struggled at times in a new scheme that presented him with a mix of old and new tasks, including going under center for snaps regularly for the first time since he was in high school. And for the first time, he wasn t Michigan s first, second and third option on offense.

He s had to make sacrifices, Michigan offensive coordinator Al Borges said. He went from being a 1,700-yard rusher to being an 1,100 something-yard rusher. I told him from the beginning, that he wasn t going to rush for 70, 80 yards because we re going to keep him in one piece if it killed us.

Robinson also was slowed by a staph infection on his right forearm that he protected with a bulky wrap midway through the season. Robinson said doctors told him he got the ailment from artificial turf. The effects lingered painfully for two to three weeks and were close to keeping him out of a game.

I went out there and still played and I did it for my team, he said.

Robinson s teammates and new coaches, by design, helped him out by having him do less with the ball this season.

He averaged three fewer carries during this regular season than he did last year and attempted a couple fewer passes per game, making him feel much healthier entering the Sugar Bowl than he was going in the Gator Bowl in what ended up being Rodriguez s finale.

It s a difference, Robinson said. I haven t taken as many hits and I took care of my body better.

That helped Robinson be at his best when his team needed him most. He led the Wolverines to wins over Ohio State and Nebraska , giving the program 10 wins and a BCS bowl bid for the first time since the 2006 season. He completed 71 percent of his passes for five touchdowns with only one interception against the Buckeyes and Cornhuskers and ran for 253 yards, two more scores and was sacked just twice.

There was confidence in the offense and in his teammates, Hoke said. The biggest growth was him understanding progression reads and how to move in the pocket without moving 100 miles per hour, and scan the field better.

AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.