Panthers Pick Up Where They Left Off; Blitz Bruins
The Florida Panthers unveiled their Stanley Cup banner and immediately returned to the style of hockey that got it done, blowing out the Boston Bruins
SUNRISE, Fla. — Even with a few new faces, the Florida Panthers returned to the ice for the 2024-25 season looking like the same dominant team that won the Stanley Cup in June.
The Panthers lifted their Stanley Cup banner to the rafters and never looked back, blitzing the rival Boston Bruins to the tune of a 6-4 win on opening night.
“It’s an emotional start to the season,” Bennett said. “Obviously, seeing that banner go up shoulder to shoulder with the guys was a pretty special moment, so I think it definitely gave us a little juice to start the season off and we came out flying and we were playing back to our style of hockey right away. It was a great start.”
Four first period goals, including a pair from Bennett, set the tone as Florida put on a show for the sold-out Amerant Bank Arena crowd.
And that crowd was riled up from the moment the banner was revealed up until the final buzzer.
A.J. Greer got them pumped up after getting a few haymakers in during a fight with Mark Kastelic 5:55 into the game and the goals quickly followed. And the fireworks continued.
“It’s a great way to start the season because you know you’re not waiting into it,” coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s not a no-hitter, an ip and down, a puck mover and then you’re at the bench barking to get more physical. You didn’t have to do that tonight. It was on.”
Bennett got things started 6:27 into the game, deflecting an Evan Rodrigues shot past Joonas Korpisalo 6:27 into the game.
Korpisalo, who the Bruins acquired via a trade with the Ottawa Senators this summer, was starting in net for Boston after Jeremy Swayman missed all of training camp due to a contract dispute. And he got the worst of it.
Just over a minute later, Eetu Luostarinen made it 2-0 off of a rebound of an Anton Lundell shot.
And Korpisalo continued to get peppered.
By the 12:40 mark of the first period, the Florida was outshooting Boston 14-3 and was relentlessly hounding them on the forecheck in the process — in typical trademark Florida Panthers style.
The tide changed for a moment, however.
Adam Boqvist got popped in the jaw with a clearing attempt during a Panthers power play late in the first period and did not return to the game — and that threw the top unit out of rhythm.
Seconds later, Pavel Zacha scored a shorthanded goal to make it a 2-1 game with 4:27 to go in the first period.
But the Panthers responded to that moment of adversity very quickly.
Sam Reinhart scored a shorthanded goal off the rush with 2:26 to go to restore the two-goal lead. Bennett then extended that lead to 4-1 exactly a minute later with his second goal of the night.
Jonah Gadjovich tacked on a fifth goal 9:12 into the second period off of a slick cross-crease feed by Jesper Boqvist.
And “We Want Swayman” chants followed.
Between the theatrics from the crowd and the tough, physical play of the Panthers, the Bruins were visably frustrated all night. And it got to their heads.
Even after Charlie McAvoy cut Florida’s lead to three goals with 6:27 to go in the second period.
Max Jones took a swing at Rodrigues with 4: to go in the second period and ended up clipping a referee in the face with his stick. Said referee was fine and remained in the game while Jones was issued a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Florida could not convert on the ensuing power play, but they firmly remained in Boston’s heads.
Evan Rodrigues made it a 6-2 game with a ripper a wrist shot 6:26 into the second period and another fracas occurred after Bennett crashed into Korpisalo. It was a long meeting of the minds which resulted in three penalties getting handed out.
Bennett was issued an extra penalty for goaltender interference, which the Panthers killed off, but that did not stop Boston’s comeback effort.
Trent Frederic scored on a one-timer with 3:06 to go to make it a one-goal game. Uvis Balinskis then took a tripping penalty nine seconds later to send the Bruins to the power play.
David Pastrnak beat Sergei Bobrovsky five-hole on the enusing man advantage with 1:45 to go to make it a two-goal game.
Bobrovsky finished the game with 24 saves on 28 shots to kick his 15th NHL season off with a win.
Florida killed off three of four penalties it took while going 0-for-6 on the power play.
The Panthers will embark on a four-game road trip, starting on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators.
NOTABLE:
— Chris Driedger and MacKenzie Entwistle were both placed on waivers before Tuesday night’s game. In turn, Spencer Knight will likely be called up to join the Panthers on their upcoming four-game road trip.
— Carter Verhaeghe was signed to an eight-year, $56 million contract, Panthers general manager Bill Zito announced postgame.
— Panthers coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on Adam Boqvist, but said he was ‘hopeful’ about his status going forward. He is set to undergo imaging on Tuesday after taking a puck to the face.