Fill Them Seats

It’s time to be brutally honest; being a Panthers fan can be embarrassing. It has nothing to do with the way the Cats have been playing lately. In fact, the Cats are rapidly rising in the standings thanks to an excellent goaltending tandem and unexpectedly good play from young players. The embarrassing part about being a Panthers fan comes into focus when you sit down in the BankAtlantic Center and take a look around. Chances are, you’ll see more empty seats or opposing team jerseys than you will fellow Cats fans. It only gets worse when the cheers for the visiting team drown out the home crowd. When the Montreal Canadiens visit on Monday, chants of “GO HABS GO” will likely have Jay Bouwmeester and crew wondering if they’re actually playing a home game; and that’s just pathetic. Players should look forward to playing at home, and that’s impossible when fans aren’t showing up in droves. It’s high time for us to give the Panthers the home-ice advantage they deserve by grabbing a couple tickets for as little as $37, loading up on your beverage of choice and screaming your lungs out. It’s the patriotic thing to do.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at BankAtlantic Center, 1 Panther’s Parkway in Sunrise. Visit ticketmaster.com, or call 954-835-7825.
Mon., Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m., 2008