The season started off well for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers with a 3-0-0 record in their home opener.
The start of the road portion of their schedule was more difficult, with two losses to start a four-game road trip.
The Panthers will look to get back on track when they take on New Jersey on Thursday in the Devils’ home opener in Newark, New Jersey.
Florida just lost 4-1 to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday after starting the trip with a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. The Panthers will conclude their trip on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.
“I liked our start (Wednesday) better than our last game,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s a little slow sometimes to get the puck off our stick. We had a lot of blocks here (Wednesday).”
Brad Marchand leads the way for the Panthers offense with three goals in five games, and he and Anton Lundell each have five points.
Marchand scored Florida’s only goal in the loss to Detroit to extend its point streak to four games. All of his points came during this stretch after being left off the scoresheet in the first game of the season.
“He is a great asset for us,” said forward Eetu Luostarinen. “It’s a good thing. The way he works every day is good.”
Daniil Tarasov should get the nod in goal for the Panthers after Sergei Bobrovsky played against the Red Wings.
New Jersey, meanwhile, will seek a third straight victory as it begins a stretch without starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The 35-year-old looked shaken with 21 seconds left in the Devils’ 3-2 win over the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday and did not practice Wednesday.
Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Markstrom would be out “in a few weeks.”
“I consider it good news considering what happened,” Keefe said. “I don’t consider it too serious at this point, but he’s going to have to miss some time.”
That means backup Jake Allen will get the nod as New Jersey returns home after a 2-1-0 season-opening road trip. Allen started the game against the Blue Jackets and played two periods before leaving the game due to cramping. Markstrom replaced him for the third period.
“I feel like I’m getting back to normal,” Allen said. “It was an unfortunate set of circumstances, but that’s the game we play.”
With Markstrom sidelined, the Devils recalled goalie Nico Daws from Utica to the AHL. The 24-year-old has appeared in 52 NHL games, all for New Jersey, including a career-high 25 games in 2021-22.
He was 22-23-1 in the NHL with a 2.98 goals-against average and .898 save percentage.
“Mentally, to know that I’ve been here and done that, I’m a better goalie now than I was in previous years,” Daws said. “Who’s to say I can’t improve. I have a lot of confidence right now. I like where my game is at. I feel good.”
While it’s not surprising to see the name “Hughes” at the top of the Devils’ scoring list, it’s defenseman Luke Hughes and not his older brother, Jack, at that spot. The younger Hughes leads the team with four assists, his point total tying Jesper Bratt for the team lead.
–Field level media
