Another grim end to another grim season of a sport Florida was not meant to tolerate. An ice cube has a minute or two in South Florida, even in the dead of our 70-degree winter. What amount of hubris made us think an ice hockey team would not similarly vaporize? On Sunday, April 6, at 3 p.m., the Florida Panthers put an end to a decade on the ice as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the final game of the season. The outlook is, to be blunt, not good. At press time, the Panthers were ranked 11th out of 15 in the Eastern Conference with 67 points. If the team were not conveniently located in the wretched Southeast Division, there would not be a single bright spot. As it is, the best we can say is that our hockey team falls in the middle of its division, despite the stompings the Panthers have taken all season long. Can we safely say that, even on a good day, they were mediocre? But for the true fan, particularly since Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day, none of this matters. They will come to the Office Depot Center (1 Panthers Pkwy., Sunrise), and they will cheer on the team as only a true hockey fan can. Tickets cost $14 to $150. Call 954-835-8000. --Dan Sweeney
SAT 4/05
Spring Fling
Flamingo Gardens meets your eco-needs
Sure, you're doing your part to recycle. But what about the birds chirping outside your window? Perhaps they'd appreciate houses and feeders built with a lumber-like product of recycled plastic. Cool, you say, but where can you check out such eco-friendly bird accommodations? They'll be among the assortment of interesting plants and gardening accessories for sale during the seventh-annual Flamingo Gardens Spring Event, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, at Flamingo Gardens (3750 S. Flamingo Rd., Davie). The event also features live jazz, gardening experts, wood turners, and authors signing their books. Admission, which includes the Flamingo Gardens attractions and tram tour, is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 4 to 11, and free for kids 3 and younger. Call 954-473-2955. --Patti Roth
