Each Monday during the NHL season, takes a look at the biggest storylines from the hockey week that was.UNMET EXPECTATIONSWe need to talk about the Florida Panthers.And, probably unfair to them, but hot finishes tend to fuel unrealistic expectations or too much hype heading into the next season.I remember covering the Columbus Blue Jackets when they were way out of the race late in 2014-15 and went 15-1-1 down the stretch, ruining their chance at Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel while creating a false sense of hope moving forward, as well.They opened the next season 0-7-0 and Todd Richards was fired, leading to John Tortorellas hiring.MORE: Predators coach Peter Laviolette dons bullhead Boston Red Sox T-Shirts mask postgame after losing betWhile Im not trying to draw direct parallels between the two situations (and theres no indication that Bob Boughner is on thin ice in Florida), it feels kind of similar to the 2018-19 Panthers. They finished last season 25-8-2 down the stretch, one point out of a playoff spot in the East. The Panthers had been an afterthought at the All-Star break. Now, Boughner thinks theyre struggling with high expectations.Expectations that were born from their strong finish.The Panthers have only one win in their first six games which isnt good enough on its own though their lone win was a good one, a shootout victory over the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Cats next performance was dreadful and they became the team that lost to the Red Wings. Yes, Detroits 4-3 overtime victory on Saturday was its first win of the season, and it came at the expense of the Panthers.Should they panic? No, but its getting to be that time to right the ship.The Panthers have given up 25 goals in six games, theyre and goaltending has become a problem, and theyve yet to win at home. Theyre in danger of falling too far off Boston Red Sox Jersey the pace in a competitive Atlantic Division, and with the vaunted U.S. Thanksgiving standings benchmark a month away, the Panthers desperately need to get a move on.There are too many good players in Florida for this not to work.THE RED WINGS WON A GAMEYes, its true!The longest losing streak (to open a season) in Detroit Red Wings history ended Saturday at BB&T Center, and Gustav Nyquists overtime goal was more exhale than celebration.Take Dylan Larkin he extended both arms to the sky, leaned his head back as if to say finally! after Nyquist beat Michael Hutchinson low to the stick side.And, of course, that means the Red Wings got to do something they hadnt yet done in 2018-19."Music in the locker room after the game, and Fred Lynn Jersey some smiles, Larkin explained.SURPRISING STARTSBoth the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are off to solid starts and within earshot of the playoff picture. For all of the weirdne s, the offensive outbursts, and the general early-season unpredictability that weve seen so far, these two teams have turned the most heads and, surprisingly, in a good way.Guy Boucher didnt have the most enviable job entering the season. The Senators were one train wreck after another this summer, and GM Pierre Dorion came under heavy criticism for how he handled the Erik Karl son situation. The end result was an underwhelming roster, one that virtually every pundit agreed would be among the NHLs worst.Its certainly po sible that theyll fall back and into the draft lottery discu sion, but for now, the Senators are 4-2-1 and averaging four goals per game. Remember, scoring was a major question mark coming into the season. The reality is that its going to be next to impo sible for Ottawa to make the playoffs in the Atlantic Division, yet they remain a surprise in the first month of 2018-19.MORE: In return from concu sion, normal is Rick Porcello Jersey good for Blackhawks' Corey CrawfordMontreal, on the other hand, is a different story (though theyre also a pleasant surprise). The Canadiens shouldnt be a lottery team they have too many good players, led by one of the games best goaltenders in Carey Price. Theyre 4-1-2 out of the gate, including an OT lo s to the Senators over the weekend that placed therm in the Top 3 in the Atlantic DivisionHONORABLE MENTIONThe red-hot starts of and Mikko Rantanen have the Colorado Avalanche pushing the Nashville Predators atop the Central Division. Both players have at least a point in Colorados first eight games, which is a historic feat in its own right. Per NHL.com, MacKinnon and Rantanen are the 21st set of teammates in NHL history with season-opening points streaks of at least eight games.MacKinnon enters Mondays game in Philadelphia with eight goals and six Babe Ruth Jersey a sists, while Rantanen has two goals and 12 a sists, thus far. Theyve combined to power the Avalanche to a 5-1-2 mark, only two points out of the division lead.