This time there would be no blown third-period leads or three consecutive deflating losses in overtime or shootouts.
It was far worse.
This time, the Panthers, desperately clinging to a faint playoff bid, were unable to overcome a comatose second period before losing to the lowly Ottawa Senators 3-2 Sunday night at a quiet BB&T Center.
In the final frantic seconds in which the Panthers pulled goalie Roberto Luongo for a brief 6-on-4 advantage, former Senators star Mike Hoffman fired one off the post. A few seconds after the final buzzer, sounding more like a bugle playing taps on the Panthers, Hoffman angrily fired the puck off the end boards in disgust.