Panthers raise banner, down Blackhawks in opener | 10.7.25

Panthers raise banner, down Blackhawks in opener | 10.7.25

Please welcome the Stanley Cup, proudly carried to the ice by alternate captain Aaron Eckl. [Applause] [Music] [Music] Please turn your attention to the ice for the unveiling of our 2025 Stanley Cup Championship banner. [Music] [Applause] [Music] As our banner makes its descent, it will forever honor the 2025 Florida Panthers as back-to back champions and serve as the ultimate symbol of determination and a selfless Team first mentality. [Music] [Applause] Chills as the banner rises to the Raptors here at Emirate Bank Arena. All that’s left is to drop the puck and we’ll do that next. [Music] [Applause] Hey, Jason. Hey, Sam. Welcome back. Welcome to the 2025 2026 NHL season. Time to man your battle stations. Oh, we see. How great is it to have hockey back? Mundell wins the draw. Baby Barkov back to Porsley. Gobbled up by Spencer Knight across the line. Twoon one with Bennett. Bennett shoots. Save made by Knight. A terrific save. Sliding to his left to rob his old teammate. Try and supply that role in the absence of Matthew Kachchuck. And Bennett brings it across. Marsh bloops it toward the net. Knight able to knock it out of midair with Reinhardt lurking. Snaps one to Bennett on side to Marian. Played back to the point. Walking in. Jones. Shoot. Save made. The rebound held. Blocked in front. said, “Hold it.” They’ve been great that way. And watch the play. The Panthers really do a good job of using their points to generate offense. Gets right back to Spencer Knight. Patiently plays it to the far half wall. And now it’s out. Let it a step moving in. Nazar to break away. Scores the first goal of the season to Frank Nazar on the breakaway. And the Blackhawks on the road have the early lead. I I think with 46 million now they can avoid a couple of injuries. Absolutely. They’ll be able to afford what they need. Nazar scores the first goal of the season. Swatted towards the net. Blocked in front on the doorstep. Score. The Panthers answer and it’s the fourth line. Poking it home. AJ Greer. We’re tied at one. [Music] AJ Greer with speed. A little chip to space and then get on his horse. Number 10 in red. You don’t see him. But now he’s going to go underneath the coverage like a real good wide out in football and get that separation and stays in motion. Watch him. Nobody’s down there. Nobody’s got a body on him. And he forces this one through Spencer. Sam Bennett carries. Plays catch with Reinhardt across the line. Marian couldn’t catch up to that puck but takes it away. Marian to the backand roofs it and it’s stopped by Knight. And there is Marian protecting the puck getting a return behind the net into the slot. Reinhardt shoot. Save made by Knight. The rebound loose. It is available. Players looking for it. Shots now 123 in favor of the Panthers. How about Brett Marartian last year? Only two goals in the 10 games he played in the regular season for the Panthers, but then six goals in the finals. Unbelievable. He was unbelievable. Score. Short hand side as Verhagy is able to beat Knight. Stuffing one home on the power play and the Panthers have the lead. Well, here’s another look at that play. And Spencer Knight goes for the post check. He’s got it, but he’s a little bit out of sorts, but he regains his post only to lose his footing. So, that short sides a little bit available. Watch his feet here. He’s unable to seal that short side post. And for being a lefty down there, has a great look and he plays the angles to a te by going cross body. Todd Shell off of Baddard and stays on side for the Panthers. One again by Lindell. Swept off his stick by Bard, but not out. Shot by Forsling. Eaten up again by Knight. Just understanding who we are, who we need to be. And then our game comes from that. A lot Nick B. Thank you. So Panthers continue to put the pressure on. Kick save made by Knight out of midair by Eklad. He knocks over Greer as Forsling glides back and now accelerates. They’re going to go and now the gloves drop. Felino and Greer. Some tough customers here. Oh, they want to go and they’re not done yet. Nope. There’s more there. Folo over the top. Greer trying to get that right arm free. Felo with a little uppercut. That’s a great tilt to start the season. First one in the books. And this is about sensing the time of the game. Mick Felino says, “Okay, hey, you want this? Hey, we’re down one. Give me one. Let’s go.” Greer Willing. Great job by both these two here at center ice to kick off the start of the NHL season. Aar with a one-touch lead for Terrain. The turnover though moving in. Lendell has room. Shoots at the post. Reinhardt quickly to the rebound. Snipped on net. Save made with the glove by Knight. Couldn’t clear the zone. Close to Rain tried to keep it on side, but McK takeaway. McKay a breakaway. Save Babski. He hit a post of the first period as well. Nice outlet. Nazar off the one touch from Berusi. Across with Terrain. Feeds it to him. Shoots. Save Babski. No score. it down the back of the net. Turn your leg and that way the shinuard protection disappears as you could see. Marshand across the line back door to the backhand save. Knight on for HGY. Now it’s behind the net. Laperty walls off Kulakov banks it back up top. Lechon off across Kaiser Arist at the flex wide softly behind. Skated onto by Laperty. Good shifter there by the Hawk towing the line. Long wrist from Kaiser into the chest protector of Babroski. [Applause] Forsling to Bennett across the line. Leans in shoots. Save made by Knight hugging the right post. Donado’s forch check. McKay tried to keep it alive. Center circle and is gathered in again by Bennett. Long wrist eaten by Knight. Kevin Rodriguez by the way back on the ice as McKay races down into the right wing corner. Finds a trailer. Murphy a drive saved Babski. It is handled by Kulakov and it’s the length of the ice all the way around past Knight. The firing pass fluttered just wide of Knight right on the doorstep. Really good opportunity and Spencer Knight pushes off the post and gets just enough off of his arm. Jeff Lashel is ready for the long haul. He is and he’s worked with a lot of star players going back to the time in Detroit. Nice save there by Babroski and certainly in Tampa. Bennett through center with speed across the line. Backhands one moving in. Reinhardt save made with the pad by Knight by Connor Murphy. Possible twoon-one the other way. Bard across the line. Badard to the backhand to the forehand. Save made by Babroski. Future Hall of Famer on the case. Babroski is painting. Look at that flexibility coming across with a big time split. And how about this pass by Cara Badard. He puts it on a pillow for Doc who doesn’t get all but he gets enough. But it’s Sergey Babroski to the rescue with 8 seconds to go in the period. Grizzlick to the red line, lofts one into the glove of Babroski who keeps it moving for Kulacov. Smart and that will end the period. Marian with a stick lift wins the puck. Skates the stick for Hegy up top. Kulakov. Wrist shot save is made by Knight. Kicked it to the far boards. [Applause] Spinama on the outlet by Jones. That shot off the blocker of Knight. Spencer Knight in a duel with Babski. And there’s another glove save from Knight. Razor Sharp. Terraan looks at the net. Renzel thought about a one-time hoping for a shooting lane. Straard wrist shot glove save is made by Babarovski with traffic in front. 10 and a half minutes to go in regulation time. Laferdy guides it in. Forsling gets to the puck first. Softly off the end boards to himself. The outlet to Rodriguez. Center circle cross corner it goes. Leaning in Sam. Gamage out in front. Score. Tiptoe by Vquist. That up midair from the Samus. Gave it speed. The Panthers have the lead. Tarps on breakout to the Dzone. A perfectly executed one here for Paul Maurice’s Panthers. And then a little indirect play to Speed. This is absolutely perfectly executed. And how about the hands by Boquist. It’s game one here in the National Hockey League. It’s playoff time in Major League Baseball. Skated on to by Nazar. Centering pass ends up at the blue line and breaking back the other way. The Panthers through center Bhagy on the back hand. Verhaggy off the outside of the net. He got it back to the forehand and now tries to bank one off of Kaiser and Knight. And that almost found the back as well. And it’s out to the neutral zone. Greer a steal. Gajivic moves in. Centering pass. Save made by Knight. Chip to the far corner for Hehaggy. Keeps it moving and escaping as Mare. Looking over his shoulder to see if he has support. He’s by himself. Shoots. Save is made by Knight. Generating something out of nothing here. He recognizes he has a forward back there and Burkoski and takes him to the middle and Spencer Knight’s glove says no. goes to Rainan. Hands one off. Reinhardt brings it across the line. Reinhardt dangles. Reinhardt shoots. Save made with the blocker by Knight. Wow. Bedard carries. Net empty for the Blackhawks. Bedard finds a trailer. Terrain shoots. St. Babski and the rebound put away behind Babroski. Forsling looks to move it. 6 seconds to go. Stopped by Renzel. really couldn’t keep it on side and Chicago will run out of time and the Panthers will win on opening night as the Rats fly here at Amaran Bank Arena and Babski and the Panthers off to a two-point start. Well, I got to tell you, this was a real entertaining start to the National Hockey League season. Privileged to call this game for the Florida Panthers. They hold serve on home ice in their opener. Banner raising got their rings last night.

0:00 – Banner Ceremony
1:59 – Start of Game
3:19 – Blackhawks Goal (0-1)
3:37 – AJ Greer Goal (1-1)
4:43 – Carter Verhaeghe Goal (2-1)
7:12 – Blackhawks Goal (2-2)
10:13 – Jesper Boqvist Goal (3-2)
11:55 – End of Game

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