Jesper Boqvist batted in the go-ahead goal with 10:20 left in the third period as the host Florida Panthers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves to earn the win for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers.
Florida also got goals from A.J. Greer and Carter Verhaeghe. Mackie Samoskevich added two assists.
Spencer Knight, a former Panthers first-round pick, made 34 saves for Chicago, which is the second-youngest squad in the NHL this season.
Frank Nazar scored a goal and added an assist for the Blackhawks. Teuvo Teravainen had Chicago’s other goal, and Tyler Bertuzzi chipped in with two assists.
Florida was essentially down five forwards for several minutes on Tuesday. Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Nosek are out long term due to knee injuries. Matthew Tkachuk (hernia) is likely out until January. Then, in Tuesday’s second period, Sam Reinhart was hit in the mouth with a puck, and he required stitches. Evan Rodriguez got hit with the puck on his right knee.
Both players returned later in the period.
Florida trailed early but led 2-1 at the end of the first period.
Blackhawks star Connor Bedard had an opportunity in the opening minutes, but his shot from the right circle went off of Bobrovsky’s left shoulder and then the crossbar.
Chicago opened the scoring with 9:57 left in the first period as Bertuzzi chipped the puck ahead for a Nazar breakaway. Nazar beat Bobrovsky glove-side.
The Panthers’ fourth line tied the score 63 seconds later as Greer shoved the puck in off Knight’s body.
Florida took a 2-1 lead on Verhaeghe’s power-play goal with 5:52 remaining in the first. Samoskevich did the hard work along the boards, getting the puck to Verhaeghe, who scored from close range.
That goal was set up when Brad Marchand drew a tripping penalty on Artyom Levshunov.
Chicago tied the score 2-2 on Teravainen’s goal with just 69 seconds gone in the second. Bertuzzi earned a secondary assist for his outlet pass, which started the rush. Then, Nazar’s cross-ice pass to Teravainen resulted in the goal.
Florida scored the winner in the third as Samoskevich’s pass back to Boqvist was deflected. The puck floated to Boqvist, who batted it past Knight for the clincher.
