Panthers get best of Maple Leafs in playoffs rematch
Kevin Stenlund and Oliver Ekman-Larsson got their first Florida goals, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots and the host Panthers won their home opener by topping the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in a rematch of last season's playoffs Thursday night.
Stenlund scored with 2:52 left in the first, Ekman-Larsson made it 2-0 with seven seconds left in the opening period and that was enough for Bobrovsky. Sam Reinhart added a short-handed emptynet goal as time expired.
Mitch Marner scored his first goal of the season, coming on the power play, midway through the second period for Toronto.
Including playoffs, Florida improved to 6-1-1 in its last eight games against the Maple Leafs.
Given that it was the home opener, there were the expected nostalgic reminders for the Panthers to commemorate last year's run to the Stanley Cup Final. The new Eastern Conference championship banner was displayed to fans for the first time and spotlighted in the pregame ceremony.
There was another reminder of last spring's playoff run — “We want Florida” chants from the Panthers fans, a nod to how Toronto fans chanted the same before Florida ousted Boston in a Round 1 stunning upset of the team that had just posted the best regular season in NHL history. The Panthers then beat Toronto in five games in Round 2, but eventually lost to Vegas in the Final.
FLAMES 4, SABRES 3 ❯❯ Adam Ruzicka scored the go-ahead goal on a bad-angle shot 4:35 into the third period, and visiting Calgary never trailed in a win over Buffalo. Jonathan Huberdeau, Blake Coleman and Walker Duehr also scored, and Calgary improved to 1-1-1 three games into a five-game Eastern trip. Tage Thompson, JJ Peterka and Erik Johnson scored for the Sabres.
LIGHTNING 4, CANUCKS 3 ❯❯ Nikita Kucherov scored twice and host Tampa Bay beat Vancouver to end a threegame winless streak. Nicholas Paul and Michael Eyssimont also scored, and Jonas Johansson made 26 saves for the Lightning. Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots for the Canucks and Brock Boeser, Tyler Myers and J.T. Miller scored.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, JETS 3 ❯❯ Jack Eichel broke a tie on a power play with 4:36 left and visiting Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden beat Winnipeg for its fifth straight victory to open the season. After Eichel gave Vegas a 4-3 lead, Nicolas Roy capped the scoring with an empty-netter with 1:03 remaining. Jonathan Marchessault. Alex Iafallo scored twice for the Jets.
KRAKEN 7, HURRICANES 4 ❯❯ Visiting Carolina did a good job to cut a 4-1 deficit to 4-3 with third-period goals from Seth Jarvis at 1:08 and Jesperi Kotkaniemi at 5:54, but Seattle responded with goals by Jared McCann at 11:52 and Tye Kartye at 12:13 to go back up by three goals at 6-3. Jarvis scored again at 15:54, but Oliver Bjorkstrand scored an empty-netter at 16:51 for the Kraken (1-3-1), who earned their first win of the season.
FLYERS 4, OILERS 1 ❯❯ Cam Atkinson scored twice and Sean Walker added his first goal with Philadelphia, helping the host Flyers beat Edmonton. Atkinson missed all of last season because of a neck injury. Walker had his first goal since February, ending a 25-game drought. Carter Hart made 22 saves. Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers.
COYOTES 6, BLUES 2 ❯❯ Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz each had a goal and an assist, sparking visiting Arizona to victory over St. Louis. Nick Bjugstad, Jason Zuker and Sean Durzi scored on the power play for the Coyotes, and Michael Carcone added a goal. Jakub Vrana and Sammy Blais scored for the Blues.
PREDATORS 4, RANGERS 1 ❯❯ Cole Smith scored twice in the first period, and visiting Nashville beat New York. Ryan O'Reilly and Filip Forsberg also scored for the Predators, and Juuse Saros, starting for fifth time in five games this season, finished with 23 saves. Adam Fox scored for the Rangers.
FLAMES' PROSPECT INVESTIGATED FOR RAPE ALLEGATION ❯❯ Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni informed his Finnish Elite League team on Thursday that he is under investigation for a rape allegation that occurred two years ago in his native Finland.
In an announcement posted on its website, Tappara Tampere said Ronni is stepping away from team activities after receiving a court summons. The 19-yearold center was a minor at the time of the alleged rape.
Ronni was selected in the second round of the 2022 NHL draft by Calgary, and is in his third season playing for Tampere.