The Florida Panthers took the Arizona Coyotes 5-3 on Monday night at FLA Live Arena. The Panthers continued their best start of a regular season in franchise history with their sixth straight victory. The Coyotes shifted over from the Pacific Division to the Central Division for the 2021-22 season.
The Panthers became the 25th team in NHL history to start a season 6-0-0. The last club to accomplish it was the Montreal Canadiens in 2015-16.
Arizona(0-5-1) scored on their first shot of the contest with 2:17 left in the first period. Nick Schmaltz sent a lead pass from his own defensive zone up the middle to Clayton Keller in the neutral zone. Keller opened up on a breakaway, went through the slot area and placed in a forehand shot by Spencer Knight for his third goal of the campaign. It was the first time this season that the Panthers did not put in the first goal of a game and second time they allowed a goal in the opening frame.
Florida(6-0-0) came back and tied it 1-1 on a power-play goal with 18.8 seconds remaining. Brandon Montour smashed a one-time shot from the top of the zone which was saved by Carter Hutton. Sam Reinhart tapped a pass across the crease and Joe Thornton guided the puck from the edge of the blue paint into the net for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. Thornton scored his 426th career goal and is now one point behind Paul Coffey for 13th all-time in career points. Reinhart was able to pick up his 300th NHL point. The Cats outshot the Yotes 11-1 during the first period.
In the second period, the Panthers extended their lead to 2-1 at the six-minute mark. Patric Hornqvist made a cross-corner pass from the left point. Montour snapped a shot from the low right circle that was stopped by Karel Vejmelka. Frank Vatrano collected his first tally of the year as he lifted the puck from the top of the blue paint. Knight made his first save 28 minutes into the contest.
The Cats made it 3-1 with 9:41 to go in the second on the power play. Johnathan Huberdeau angled a pass from the left wing to Aaron Ekblad on left point. He fired a slap shot for his third goal of the season. Sam Bennett was credited with a secondary assist on the play.
It became 4-1 for the Panthers at 6:54 of the third period. Owen Tippett poked the puck away from Shayne Gostisbehere at the Coyotes blue line. Huberdeau went on a two-on-zero breakaway, passed to Bennett, received a return pass and steered it into the cage from the left of the crease for his third goal this season.
Arizona scored two goals in a 34-second span and closed it to 4-3. Liam O'Brien found the net on a wrist shot from the low right circle with 8:03 to go. Phil Kessel skated on goal, deked around Knight and slide in the puck from the crease area with 7:29 left. Both players got their first goals of the year.
Florida ended the scare during the final minute of the contest. Anthony Duclair scored an empty-net goal from just inside the Coyotes blue line with 38.9 seconds remaining. It was the second time this season that he put the puck into an empty net to cap the contest.
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