Introduction to the Game
The Florida Panthers, after raising their second straight Stanley Cup banner, opened defense of the title by beating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Tuesday night.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jesper Boqvist scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Florida Panthers, after raising their second straight Stanley Cup banner, opened defense of the title by beating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Scoring and Game Highlights
Mackie Samoskevich — getting his second assist, the fifth two-point game of his career — chipped the puck toward the goal and Boqvist knocked it out of the air for the lead with 10:20 left. A.J. Greer and Carter Verhaeghe also had goals for Florida, which got 17 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky.
Blackhawks’ Performance
Frank Nazar had a goal and an assist and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for Chicago. Former Panthers goalie Spencer Knight made 34 saves for the Blackhawks.
Panthers’ Strategy and Injuries
For the Panthers, it was the sort of grind-it-out win that might be necessary with star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk out with injuries.
“That’s what the year is," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "It’s the building of that identity and the finding of it.”
New Blackhawks Coach
It was the official debut for new Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill, who coached Detroit for seven seasons — 2015-16 through 2021-22 — and was hired by Chicago in May. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2015 and haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since.
“This is what we love to do, and life goes by fast,” Blashill said. “Let’s make sure we’re enjoying it.”
Game Progression
Chicago scored first midway through the opening period on a breakaway from Nazar, but the Panthers — who outshot the Blackhawks 17-3 in the first 20 minutes — went into the first intermission up 2-1 after goals three minutes apart from Greer and Verhaeghe.
Teravainen scored early in the second to tie the game at 2-2, and it stayed that way until Boqvist delivered.
Up Next
Up next
Blackhawks: Visit Boston on Thursday.
Panthers: Host Philadelphia on Thursday.
Conclusion
The Florida Panthers’ win over the Chicago Blackhawks marked a strong start to their title defense, with Jesper Boqvist’s go-ahead goal in the third period being the decisive factor. Despite injuries to key players, the Panthers showed resilience and determination, which will be essential in their pursuit of another Stanley Cup win.
FAQs
Q: Who scored the go-ahead goal for the Florida Panthers?
A: Jesper Boqvist scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period.
Q: Who is the new coach of the Chicago Blackhawks?
A: Jeff Blashill is the new coach of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Q: What is the Panthers’ next game?
A: The Panthers will host Philadelphia on Thursday.
Q: What is the Blackhawks’ next game?
A: The Blackhawks will visit Boston on Thursday.
