FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) — Kevin Stenlund and Oliver Ekman-Larsson received their 1st Florida plans, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots and the Panthers won their house opener by topping the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in a playoff rematch Thursday evening.
Stenlund scored with 2:52 left in the very first, Ekman-Larsson designed it 2- with seven seconds remaining in the opening period of time and that was ample for Bobrovsky. Sam Reinhart additional a quick-handed empty-web objective as time expired.
Mitch Marner scored his 1st aim of the time, coming on the electricity engage in, halfway via the next period of time for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov made 21 will save for the Maple Leafs, who opened a time-prolonged five-game road vacation.
Marta Lavandier / AP
Samsonov went to the bench with 2:10 left for an more attacker, and Florida captain Aleksander Barkov was termed for a penalty with 1:09 remaining — providing Toronto a 6-on-4. But nothing received to Bobrovsky the rest of the way, and Florida held on.
Such as playoffs, Florida improved to 6-1-1 in its very last 8 games versus the Maple Leafs. Toronto had scored particularly two aims in just about every of the 1st 7 meetings in that span.
Home opener marks seem back again at last time
Offered that it was the residence opener, there have been the expected nostalgic reminders for the Panthers, to commemorate final year’s run to the Stanley Cup Remaining. The new Japanese Meeting championship banner was displayed to admirers for the to start with time and spotlighted in the pregame ceremony, along with a spotlight movie from previous spring.
“It can be undoubtedly a small little bit of a indication of the results that you experienced past yr and it is definitely no minor feat that was significant-time for us to get that and maintain transferring the needle with this corporation and hold acquiring achievements,” Panthers ahead Matthew Tkachuk reported. “We know what the last piece of the puzzle is soon after past 12 months, to end the career.”
There was a different reminder of past spring’s playoff operate — “We want Florida” chants from the Panthers followers, a nod to how Toronto admirers chanted the exact prior to Florida ousted Boston in a Spherical 1 gorgeous upset of the workforce that experienced just posted the finest common time in NHL record. The Panthers then beat Toronto in 5 online games in Round 2.
The Panthers – who drew a sellout group of 19,288 — entered the night time as a single of four groups yet to play their house opener this period. Colorado was also making its home debut for the period Thursday, whilst Chicago and Arizona will not open up their home slates until Saturday.
NOTES: It was Bobrovsky’s 107th get as a Panther, second-most in franchise background. … A pregame instant of silence was held for people impacted and killed adhering to Hamas militants attacking Israel previously this thirty day period, with the Maple Leafs and Panthers jointly mourning the reduction of daily life. … Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart assisted on Ekman-Larsson’s objective for Florida. Stenlund’s was unassisted. … John Tavares acquired his sixth aid of the year on Marner’s goal, and William Nylander got his fourth.
UP Upcoming
Maple Leafs: Stop by Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Panthers: Host Vancouver on Saturday.
