Imagine kicking off the NHL season with three straight wins as the defending champions – that's the Florida Panthers dominating right out of the gate! Their latest triumph, a commanding 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators, has hockey enthusiasts buzzing. But here's where it gets interesting: how sustainable is this early-season magic for a team dealing with injuries and high expectations? Stick around as we break down the action from Amerant Bank Arena, highlighting every key play, player performance, and those candid post-game insights that reveal the heart of this matchup.
In a matchup dubbed Senators at Panthers, the Florida squad showcased their prowess with contributions from multiple stars. Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Anton Lundell each netted a goal and added an assist, powering the Panthers (3-0-0) to their third win in a row. Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, and Mackie Samoskevich also found the back of the net, with the team rattling off four straight goals – three of which came during power plays. Seth Jones chipped in with two assists, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 26 shots, was rock solid in net.
“We're operating like a finely tuned machine and feeling solid about our play so far,” Ekblad shared after the game. “We stick to our daily guidelines, and we're bringing that discipline onto the ice every shift.”
For the Senators (1-1-0), Shane Pinto tallied twice, while Linus Ullmark faced 21 shots in goal. Ottawa's head coach, Travis Green, didn't mince words about the performance. “We simply weren't up to the task of winning tonight,” he admitted. “They're a formidable squad – back-to-back champions with a long list of strengths. To topple a team like that on their home turf, you need to elevate your game, and we fell short. It's straightforward: plenty of hurdles ahead.”
The game kicked off with Marchand lighting the lamp for a 1-0 lead at 6:08 of the first period. He was sprung on a breakaway thanks to a precise stretch pass from Seth Jones, then flipped a backhand past a prone Ullmark. If you're new to hockey, a breakaway is when a player skates unchallenged toward the goal, creating a high-pressure chance that can swing momentum – and Marchand made the most of it here.
Rodrigues doubled the advantage to 2-0 just 9:54 into the frame, unleashing a wrist shot from the left face-off circle. Ullmark initially snagged it with his glove, but it slipped through and trickled between his skates for the goal. “Terrible,” Ullmark remarked when reflecting on his outing. “One of those frustrating nights where you give it everything, yet the puck sneaks in anyway. No excuses – I push hard for a full 60 minutes and keep my focus sharp, but today had more bizarre bounces than usual. As I've joked before, it's like having the memory of a goldfish out there.”
Even though the initial ruling wasn't a goal, video review confirmed it as the puck crossed the line in a continuous sequence of play. Pinto narrowed the gap to 2-1 at 17:33, sneaking to the front of the net while Bobrovsky was slow to recover after venturing out to handle the puck. “Clearly, we have to improve, especially with too many penalties hurting us,” Pinto noted. His team faces a quick turnaround, hosting the Nashville Predators for their home opener on Monday afternoon. “We'll regroup and aim to get things back on track.”
Florida surged ahead with consecutive power-play goals in the second period – for beginners, a power play is when one team has a player advantage due to a penalty, often leading to more scoring opportunities – to build a 4-1 lead heading into the third. Ekblad struck first at just 35 seconds, firing a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that bested Ullmark. Lundell followed at 18:28, tipping a point shot from Jeff Petry into the net while positioned in front.
“I was impressed with our power play; it really drove our success tonight,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice, whose team capitalized 3-for-5 on the man advantage. “Both our units generated chances and goals. Our positioning across the ice was strong, and dealing with their mobile back end – which makes them tough to contain – we handled it well.”
The Panthers earned a 4-minute power play after Thomas Chabot's high-sticking penalty, and Samoskevich capitalized at 5:39 of the third, driving to the net and lifting the puck over Ullmark's glove for his season opener. “The team is really rallying,” Samoskevich said. “Losing some key players early is challenging, but we're deep and united – proud of everyone stepping up.”
Reinhart added his first goal of the season at 11:14, sliding in front off a sharp feed from Gustav Forsling to make it 6-1. Pinto netted his second at 17:35 of the third for the 6-2 finale.
“It’s a promising beginning; we've maintained our structure in solid games, earning good wins and points,” Bobrovsky reflected.
And this is the part most people miss – the Panthers are the second reigning Stanley Cup champions in 25 years to secure their opening three games. They join the 2023-24 Vegas Golden Knights, who won seven in a row, and the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning, who took three. Bobrovsky, factoring in the 23 playoff games from the 2025 Stanley Cup run, has now started 26 consecutive contests for Florida. Meanwhile, Pinto, who also scored twice in Thursday's 5-4 victory over the Lightning, became the first Senator to begin a season with back-to-back multi-goal performances.
On the injury front, Maurice revealed that Dmitry Kulikov, sidelined with an upper-body injury since Friday, will consult a specialist Monday to chart the next course.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is the Panthers' early dominance a sign of true championship caliber, or are teams like Ottawa simply not yet hitting their stride? Some might argue the referees' video review calls are becoming too pivotal in deciding games, potentially swinging outcomes unfairly. What do you think – does this Florida team have what it takes to repeat as champs, or is this just a hot start? Could the Senators' penalty woes be a coaching issue, or just a rough patch? Share your thoughts in the comments below; do you agree that discipline on the ice separates the contenders from the pretenders, or is there another factor at play here?
