A new Florida Panthers season is finally upon us.
Breathe it in, hockey fans.
The fun all started with Tuesday’s 1-0 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL’s first game of the season.
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Starring for the Panthers in his first game back with the franchise was veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
He finished the game with 15 saves, playing a very steady role in net and not putting his defenseman in any bad spots with poor rebounds while keeping the Cats in the game long enough for Gus Forsling to find the game-winning goal with just over four seconds left in overtime.
Markstrom was also key in helping Florida’s defensive-minded approach by constantly jumping out of the crease and playing the puck, cutting down Carolina entry attempts and dump-ins while also helping clear the puck out of precarious areas and blocking passes with his excellent stickwork.
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In terms of stopping the puck, one particular sequence late during the second period stood out, with Carolina on the power play and pushing for the game’s first goal.
As Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho drove the net, Markstrom somehow kept the puck from going in, flashing his massive leg pads while maintaining strong positioning in the goal crease.
Of Markstrom’s 15 saves, four were considered high-danger shots, according to Natural Stat Trick.
He also stopped Carolina seven times during their six power play opportunities, though plenty of credit is also due to Florida’s penalty killers.
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On defense, Aaron Ekblad, Niko Mikkola, Seth Jones and Forsling gobbled up the majority of the shorthanded minutes, while three forward duos – Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, Garnet Hathaway and Lars Eller – were excellent when called upon.
Next up for the Panthers will be another home opener, this time for the San Jose Sharks.
Puck drop from SAP Center is set for Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.
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Photo caption: Sep 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;FloridaPanthersgoaltender Jacob Markstrom (25) handles the puck during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
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