Panthers Wipe Out Flyers

     The Florida Panthers started their 23rd regular season in the National Hockey League with a 7-l victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in their home opener at BB&T Center. The Panthers, who celebrated the 2Oth anniversary of the Scott Mellanby rat trick game earlier this week, are now l2-6-2-2 in home openers and ll-7-l-2 all-time in season openers.
     Florida came out with a scoring burst that has not been witnessed in South Florida ever as they scored four goals within the first seven minutes of the game. The Panthers started off strong with a loud crowd behind them as they got on the scoreboard just l:23 of the first period. Jussi Jokinen fired a shot from the blue line which was saved by Steve Mason. Brandon Pirri pounced on the long rebound and scored on a backhand shot from the slot area.
     The Panthers would convert on two power-play opportunities and extended their lead to 3-O. Aaron Ekblad had the puck at the top of the Flyers zone and fed Nick Bjugstad for a snap shot from the top left circle at 4:55. Reilly Smith followed and put in his first goal as a Florida Panther from close range at 5:46.
     The fourth goal by the Cats was a gift as Mason outlet the puck with a backhand to the left side from the side of the cage. It was intercepted by Trocheck who found a streaking Jokinen in the low slot for him to put the biscuit into the wide open net at 6:46. The Flyers switched goalies as Mason was replaced in net by Michael Neuvirth. Philadelphia had not given up four goals in the first eight minutes to begin a contest since January 3O, l986.
     The Cats exploded to begin the second period 33 seconds into the frame as Jaromir Jagr put in a tally. He passed to his right to Aleksander Barkov when they crossed the Flyers blue line. Barkov returned the puck to Jagr and he fired a wrist shot from the high slot.
     Philadelphia broke the shutout on the power play at 3:34 to cut the deficit to 5-l. Claude Giroux sent a pass from the left corner to Mark Streit on the left point. His slapshot went through traffic and by Roberto Luongo.
     Florida scored within the first two minutes to begin a period for the third consecutive time. Brian Campbell ripped a wrist shot which was stopped by Neuvirth, however Jagr was to the right side of the crease and placed the puck into the cage for his second goal of the game and 724th goal in his NHL career at 4l seconds of the third.
     The Panthers increased their margin to 7-l on a five-on-three power play at 7:55. Smith scored for the second time for the Cats from the low slot area on a pass by Trocheck.