from David Hyde of the Sun-Sentinel,

As they left the ice Saturday afternoon — another win for their season, more heroics for Aleksander Barkov — the Florida Panthers reached a new and exotic destination.

First place.

Not just first place in their division. Not just first place in their conference.

First place in all hockey.

It didn’t matter if it lasted only a few hours as Tampa Bay won later Saturday and leapt two points ahead. Let’s not get bogged down in details. Let’s realize the Panthers had never been in first place this deep in a season. Listen to the voice of a changed team that’s begun resurrecting this wrecked franchise.

“We competed, we were on the right side of the puck, won all the 50-50 [battles] — if you do that over and over, it shows in the standings,’' veteran Patric Hornqvist said after the Panthers’ 2-0 win against Nashville. “You know what? We’re a really good team.”

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