Panthers Crown Kings

     The Florida Panthers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 in Quebec City on Saturday night. It was the final preseason contest for both clubs. 

     Florida did play a preseason game in Canada last year. They lost to the Ottawa Senators in the annual Kraft Hockeyville game in Sydney, Nova Scotia. 

     The Cats will have their 2024-25 season opener on Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. The Panthers will have their 2023-24 Stanley Cup championship banner ceremony before the game. 

     Los Angeles sprinted out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:03 mark. Phillip Danault put in the tally on assists from Tanner Jeannot and Trevor Moore. 

     The Panthers evened it up 1-1 at 9:07 when Aleksander Barkov placed in a power-play goal. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

     Florida took the lead 2-1 with 3:57 remaining in the first. Anton Lundell found the net on the man advantage with assists from Aaron Ekblad and Eetu Luostarinen. 

     In the second period, the Cats got the only goal of the frame for a two-goal margin. Johan Gadjovich scored with 45 seconds to go on assists from Ekblad and Matthew Tkachuk. 

     The Kings cut the lead to 3-2 at the 7:44 mark of the third period. Moore got the tally and Quinton Byfield made the assist on the play. 

     Florida added an empty-net goal by Gadjovich for his second goal of the contest with 24 seconds left in the third to make it 4-2. Ekblad collected his third assist of the game.