Florida Panthers Shut Down Utah, Head East with Win

The Florida Panthers have a long flight back from Salt Lake City later today and, after Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Utah, it should be a little more enjoyable.

During an in-game interview with TNT analyst Jody Shelley, coach Paul Maurice admitted the intensity really was not there for the Panthers what with them being in a new city and playing a Western Conference team they do not see all that much.

“We’re still figuring out how we’re going to hate them,’’ Maurice said.

That should come a little easier Saturday against the Bruins.

Matthew Tkachuk tried to get the Panthers going early, and the game did get a little spicy as things rolled on.

But this was just another game for the Panthers, one of 82.

It just happened to come in No. 42.

The Panthers were able to roll into the second half of the regular season with a solid win, Sergei Bobrovsky (26 saves) asked to make a couple big saves with counterpart Karel Vejmelka (29) done in by some breakdowns in front of him.

After a scoreless (and listless) first, the Panthers opened the scoring 65 seconds into the second period on another power-play goal from Sam Reinhart.

Utah showed signs of life in the second, but Jesper Boqvist gave Bobrovsky and the Panthers some breathing room with a goal early in the third.

His second goal of the night ended it.

The Panthers are 16-0 when leading after two periods this season.

Utah, now 3-14-3 when trailing after 40 minutes, has lost seven of its past eight games.

NOTES: PANTHERS @ UTAH

• Utah was trying to join the Panthers (1993-94) and Vegas Golden Knights (2017-18) as the third team in the past 50 years to beat the defending Stanley Cup champions in their “first meeting during their inaugural season.” Of course, the Panthers and Knights were true expansion teams; the Arizona Coyotes relocated to Utah.
• By counting Utah as a new franchise, which the NHL does, Bobrovsky joined Jake Allen and Darcy Kuemper as the only goalies with wins against 33 different franchises.
• Reinhart got his 67th power-play goal with the Panthers, passing Scott Mellanby for second-most in franchise history.
• With his next goal, Reinhart (144) will tie Stephen Weiss for sixth-most in franchise history.
• Carter Verhaeghe assisted on Boqvist’s first goal, making him the fourth Florida player with 30 points this season. Only the Capitals (six), Jets (five) and Lightning (five) have more.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Panthers 1, Utah 0 (1:05 2nd PP): Sasha Barkov gets the puck to Matthew Tkachuk behind the goal line and he feeds Sam Reinhart in the slot for the one-timer.
• Panthers 2, Utah 0 (1:48 3rd): Carter Verhaeghe sends the puck from the wall to the high slot where Jesper Boqvist gets his sixth point in the past eight games.
• Panthers 2, Utah 1 (13:41 3rd PP): Logan Cooley slaps one in from the bottom of the left circle to give The Club some life.
• Panthers 3, Utah 1 (17:59 3rd EN): Boqvist sends a backhanded shot from the far corner the length of the ice and ends this one.
• Panthers 4, Utah 1 (19:39 3rd EN): Eetu Luostarinen tags on another one.

GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Jesper Boqvist, Florida
• 2. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida
• 3. Sam Reinhart, Florida

ON DECK: GAME No. 43

BOSTON BRUINS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: ABC
• Streaming: ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season (Panthers Lead 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 6, Bruins 4 (Oct. 8); Saturday. At Boston: Panthers 4, Bruins 3 (Oct. 14); March 11.
• Last Regular Season: Bruins Won 4-0
• Last Postseason: Panthers Won ECS 4-2
• All-time Regular Season Series: Boston leads 64-39-7, 6 ties
• All-time Postseason Series: Florida leads 3-0 (1996 1st, 2023 1st, 2024 2nd)
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.