Will confidence hold as Panthers head into Carolina?

Playing their seventh game in 11 days and coming off an emotional, historic comeback the night before, the Panthers ran out of gas in a 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Amerant Bank Arena. It was the kind of loss that made sense in context, even if it stung in the moment.

Florida still showed fight. Down 2-0 early, the Panthers clawed back to tie the game midway through the second period and appeared ready to settle into a tight, low-event third. Then everything tilted. With under a second left before intermission, Justin Faulk slipped a shot past Daniil Tarasov, flipping momentum instantly.

Paul Maurice didn't sugarcoat it. He said the Panthers needed to get to the third period tied so they could play smart hockey. Instead, the late goal forced Florida to chase, and the legs never fully recovered. That one moment didn't lose the game on its own, but it changed its shape completely.

Fatigue was obvious, but it wasn't the whole story. The Panthers have looked different over the past few weeks. More connected. More resilient. Losses haven't stacked. Responses have followed. That's been the most encouraging sign during a month that demanded a lot from a depleted lineup.

Maurice pointed to workload rather than back-to-backs as the real issue. The top two forward lines and top four defensemen have logged heavy miles because of injuries, and that toll adds up. The upcoming day and a half at home matters.

The Panthers now head to Carolina for a rematch with the Hurricanes, a team Florida just beat despite trailing 3-0 late. That win didn't happen by accident, and Maurice sounded confident his group will be ready again with rest.

After that, the schedule resets quickly. A holiday break. Then three games in four nights. Then the Winter Classic.

Florida didn't have enough Saturday. That happens. What matters is that their game, their habits, and their belief still look intact.