The Florida Panthers faced a tough 5-1 defeat against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida. Filip Gustavsson had an impressive game, making 24 saves for the Wild. Jake Middleton also stood out with three assists, tying his career-best.
The Wild’s offense was firing on all cylinders, with goals from Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek. Johansson and Rossi scored just 22 seconds apart in the first period, giving the Wild an early 2-0 lead. By the end of the second period, the score was 5-1 in favor of the Wild.
The Panthers managed to get on the board with a goal from Sam Bennett, assisted by Matthew Tkachuk, who returned to the lineup after a five-game absence due to illness. The Panthers also made headlines with the announcement of a contract extension for coach Paul Maurice before the game.
One of the key moments in the game was Eriksson Ek’s goal late in the second period, extending the Wild’s lead to 5-1. This was the Wild’s biggest lead in Sunrise since 2008.
Sergei Bobrovsky had a tough night in goal for the Panthers, giving up five goals on just 16 shots. He was replaced by Spencer Knight after the second period. Bobrovsky is now one win shy of reaching 400 victories in his career.
The Wild have had a strong start to the season, remaining undefeated in regulation with a record of 4-0-2 and 10 points. This marks the first time since 2008-09 that the Wild have earned points in each of their first six games.
Looking ahead, the Wild will continue their road trip with a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Panthers will travel to New York to face the Rangers, kicking off a three-game road trip before heading to Finland for games against the Dallas Stars on November 1st and 2nd. The Panthers will return to Sunrise on November 7th for their next home game.
Overall, it was a dominant performance by the Minnesota Wild, showcasing their offensive firepower and solid goaltending. The Panthers will look to bounce back from this defeat and regroup as they continue their season.
