Florida Panthers Triumph in Home Opener
The Florida Panthers made a triumphant return to their home arena in Sunrise after celebrating their Stanley Cup victory on June 17th. Fans were treated to not only the first game back but also the unveiling of a brand-new scoreboard. The Panthers, blending seasoned players with promising newcomers, outlasted a resilient Hurricanes team to secure a 4-3 overtime victory.
Game Highlights
The scoring opened early in the match when Mackie Samoskevich skillfully maneuvered the puck near the boards, setting up Jack Studnicka for a backhand shot that slipped past Hurricanes goaltender Frederick Andersen. Despite both teams earning opportunities on the power play during the first period, neither capitalized, keeping the score at 1-0.
In the second period, Florida extended their advantage thanks to a well-executed play. Nolan Foote intercepted a pass, quickly driving into the Carolina zone where he found Sandis Vilmanis waiting for a shot that he executed through the narrow angle, making it 2-0 at 9:48.
The Hurricanes threatened to respond when Bradly Nadeau seemed to score shortly after, but Panthers coach Paul Maurice successfully challenged the play for offside, preserving their two-goal lead. Carolina eventually broke through when former Panther Givani Smith found himself in position to score at 14:40, narrowing the lead. With the momentum shifting, defenseman Alexander Nikishin then netted another for Carolina, tying the game at 2-2 with a shot from the right circle that found its way past goalie Cooper Black.
Third Period and Overtime
After two periods, Carolina switched goaltenders, bringing in 2021 sixth-round pick Nikita Quapp. The Panthers regained control of the game in the third period, exploiting a line change from the Hurricanes. Brett Chorskie received a clean pass from Ben Harpur and capitalized on the opportunity, scoring to put Florida back in front at 8:36. However, the Hurricanes fought back once again; Justin Robidas found a hole in Black’s defense, making it 3-3 less than four minutes later.
As regulation time drew to a close, the Panthers enjoyed a power play opportunity due to a Carolina delay of game penalty with only 23 seconds left. With a chance to seal the game, Studnicka, already with one goal, took advantage of a rebound in front of the net during overtime, swiftly scoring to give Florida the win. This victory completed a successful back-to-back series against Carolina, improving the Panthers’ preseason record to 2-2.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Panthers have little time to rest, as they prepare to head 250 miles north to face their in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a neutral site game at the Kia Center on Tuesday night. Fans can expect a young lineup, as the team continues to evaluate their roster ahead of the regular season.
