Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Brought Defensive Best Against the Kings

SUNRISE — Coming into Wednesday’s game between the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings, you knew there would not be a lot of scoring.
Both teams are too strong defensively, as evidenced last week when the Panthers lost a tight one in Los Angeles.
“There’s no cheating in either team’s game,” Paul Maurice mused.
In the rematch Wednesday in Sunrise, the Panthers won 3-0, a game that was much closer than the score indicated.
This time, it was Kings coach Jim Hiller on the losing end.
His postgame comments sounded a lot like Maurice did the week before.
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“I thought the difference was maybe they were a little fresher this time around,” Hiller said, referring to the Panthers playing the second of a back-to-back in the previous game.
“Maybe we weren’t as fresh. That would be the difference. They were faster tonight than they were in LA. Still a good hockey game and, you know, they got us. … It’s the same game. They were quicker but they didn’t give us much time and space in LA, too. That’s the game you’re going to get. You don’t win a Stanley Cup and not play that style of hockey.”
Added Warren Foegele, who faced the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final while with Edmonton last year: “It’s a grindthing against these guys. They compete really hard for pucks. I played them a lot last year. I’m familiar with them. They’re a team that wins a lot of 50-50 puck battles.”
The game could have gone either way.
It wasn’t until Sasha Barkov scored on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third that there was any distance between the teams.
Matthew Tkachuk iced it with an empty netter.
The Panthers may have, indeed, been fresher.
This time, they had a day off after returning from Las Vegas.
The Kings kicked off a back-to-back of their own in Sunrise and ended up getting shutout in both.
Los Angeles lost 3-0 in Tampa on Thursday.
The Kings hit the road after beating the Panthers last week — and have not won since. After losing in Columbus and Detroit, the Kings are 0-4 after the Sunshine State Sweep.
Florida’s win was its first in regulation against the Kings since January 20, 2020.
It was a fitting result on a night marked by the milestones of Dmitry Kulikov’s 1,000th game and Maurice’s 1,900th game behind the bench.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season — and tied John Vanbiesbrouck for third-most shutouts in franchise history.
He also got Florida’s second shutout of the Kings and first since Vanbiesbrouck did it in 1997 at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood.
Florida also took over first place in the Atlantic Division standings and hold a one-point lead on the Maple Leafs.
“It was a great effort led by Bob,” Tkachuk said. “I thought Kulikov, on his [1,000th game], was so good for us as well. You almost need a game like this where it’s something really special, for our teammates to come to the rink and just give it absolutely everything you have and do it for the guy next to you, which was Kulikov tonight.
“To play and get this win for Kulikov on a special night means the world to us.”
ON DECK: GAME No. 53
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
- National TV: ABC
- National Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Last Season: Tied 1-1
- This Season (Blackhawks Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Saturday. At Chicago: Blackhawks 3, Panthers 1 (Nov. 21).
- All-time Regular Season Series: Blackhawks lead 30-19-4, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday vs. New York Islanders, 6 (Local TV)
