Florida Panthers End Preseason, Headed Home ‘Healthy’

The Florida Panthers played their final exhibition game of the preseason Saturday night in Quebec City.

Florida’s 4-2 win will hold very little meaning — nor be remembered much — after today.

Save for the trip to Quebec City. The players really seemed to like that little bonus.

“We got through it healthy,’’ coach Paul Maurice said, “so it was a good camp. A very good camp.’’

Maurice did treat Saturday like a true NHL game and had a few of his Opening Night forward lines going.

By holding out Gus Forsling, Sam Bennett, and A.J. Greer, Maurice got a chance to look at a couple of different looks — both when it came to lines and defensive pairings.

General manager Bill Zito has some decisions to make when it comes to submitting his Opening Night roster.

Rookies Mackie Samoskevich and Patrick Giles appear to have made it and could both be in the lineup Tuesday night when the Panthers take on the Boston Bruins.

Sandis Vilmanis, until official word comes down, remains on the bubble but did everything asked — and then some — to earn a spot on the roster.

Here are some observations from Saturday night’s game:

— Florida had its full top power play unit going on Saturday with newcomer Adam Boqvist running things as he has, basically, since the start of camp.

The Panthers got their first goal on a power-play chance with Sasha Barkov picking up a Carter Verhaeghe feed and beating goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Aaron Ekblad has been working on the second power play unit, and his wide shot was knocked in by Anton Lundell for Florida’s second goal. Ekblad had primaries on two of three goals in the opening 40.

Uvis Balinskis has been used quite a bit on the second power play in practice and, with Forsling out, ran it on Saturday.

— Sergei Bobrovsky played the whole game Saturday, allowing two goals on 28 shots. 

— After centering a line for much of the preseason, Giles is back playing his natural right side with Jesper Boqvist centered the fourth line again on Saturday.

Expect that to continue with Tomas Nosek out with an injury.

— Jonah Gadjovich continues to make a case to be on that fourth line not only with his physical play but strong work near the net.

Saturday, he batted down a point shot from Ekblad to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead late in the second.

Gadjovich iced the game by scoring into the empty net with 24 seconds remaining.

— Giles played in seven of Florida’s eight preseason games.

The only one he missed was one of the doubleheader games against Nashville of which he was ineligible for.

GAME 1 ON DECK

BOSTON BRUINS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Last Regular Season (Bruins Won 4-0) — At Boston: Bruins 3, Panthers 2 OT (Oct.30); Bruins 3, Panthers 2 OT (Ap. 6). At Florida: Bruins 3, Panthers 1 (Nov. 22); Bruins 4, Panthers 3 (March 26).
• 2024 EC Semifinal (Panthers Won 4-2) — Game 1: Boston 5, @Florida 1; Game 2: @Florida 6, Boston 1; Game 3: Florida 6, @Boston 2; Game 4: Florida 3, @Boston 2; Game 5: Boston 2, @Florida 1; Game 6: Florida 2, @Boston 1.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Boston leads 64-37-7, 6 ties
• All-time Postseason Series: Florida leads 3-0 (1996 1st, 2023 1st, 2024 2nd)
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday at Ottawa, 7 p.m. (Local TV)