Marchand 'fun to watch' with Bennett in Panthers debut

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Brad Marchand had seen plenty of the rubber rats Florida Panthers fans traditionally toss onto the ice after victories over the years.

The Panthers, after all, beat Marchand’s Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

Friday night, those toy rodents hit the ice again — only this time, Marchand was happy to see them.

The newest member of the Panthers even scooped up a couple as souvenirs.

It was, after all, a night to remember for Marchand and the Panthers.

“It was one of the things my kids said right away, they asked about the rats,” Marchand said after making his debut with the Panthers after spending 16 seasons with the Bruins, the past two as their captain.

“I was like ‘I don’t know when it happens, but if it does, I will grab a couple.’ So, I did.”

What a debut it was.

Marchand, who came to the Panthers before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 7, fed former foe Sam Bennett from behind the net as the clock ran down in overtime.

Bennett took the sharp pass, and sent a backhanded shot past Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka with 41.1 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Panthers a 2-1 win.

It was Bennett’s second goal of the game, and Marchand’s first point with his new team.

“It seems like they have played together the whole season with the way they found each other,’’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said. “It’s fun to watch how they play.”

Marchand has now played in 1,091 NHL regular-season games. All but one has come with the Bruins.

“It was still different today,” said Marchand, who was coming off an upper-body injury and playing in his first game since March 1. “Every day that goes by, I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more a part of the group. When you play, and you’re in everything day-to-day, it definitely helps that go quicker. I am excited to continue to build with the group here.”

Florida coach Paul Maurice did not hold back on playing Marchand despite the layoff.

Marchand played 16:30 on 22 shifts, getting 2:16 on the power play. He ended his night with four shots on goal and seven shot attempts — with one big assist.

“That’s going to be our challenge, right? We’re going to have options,’’ Maurice said.

It seemed fitting that Marchand and Bennett would be the guys to hook up in this historic first game.

Just last May, Bennett and Marchand collided at center ice during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round.

The Bruins claimed that Bennett punched Marchand, as the hit sent the Boston captain to the ice. He missed two games with an upper-body injury, returning to play in Game 6 — which was won by the Panthers.

Maurice joked that it was fitting the two came together for a big play around the net on Friday.

“I would have thought they would have hooked up around the net five or six times, then so would have the other group,’’ Maurice said. “These guys play at a very high level. Brad’s game IQ and hockey IQ and his hands, he makes big plays in little areas.”

Bennett and Marchand patched things up while playing for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, playing on the same line together.

“Sometimes that’s just the way it works out,’’ Bennett said. “You can be rivals and enemies one day, and as soon as you put on that jersey and play for the same cause, everything is washed away. You’re instantly great friends and teammates that are looking to win together.’’

When the Panthers traded for Marchand, the first thing he did, according to Bennett, was chirp his new teammates on their text chain.

Marchand has been practicing with the Panthers since Florida visited Boston on March 11, and is playing on a line centered by Bennett.

Whatever they have got going is obviously working.

“Playing at 4 Nations, I definitely enjoyed playing with him there,” Bennett said. “We found a little bit of chemistry there. The more we play, the more we will find.”

Marchand waited until Bennett got open before sending the pass.

Whether that’s just two really good NHL players hooking up, or they have already built up some chemistry, it certainly looked good Friday.

“Every time you are able to play, it definitely helps with chemistry and our communication,’’ Marchand said. “Such a big part of the game is reading and reacting. He is a very smart player and put himself in position to get a good, quality chance. Ultimately, he capitalized on it.’’

When Marchand first joined the Panthers, he joked about trading Boston black-and-gold for the red worn by the Panthers.

Florida’s fans thought he looked pretty good in his new colors, giving him a standing ovation when he was introduced in the starting lineup.

“It was odd when I stepped on the ice,” Marchand said. “It kind of hit me going out there, and being cheered by Panthers fans was a lot different. But it’s a great feeling. It’s not often you get to be part of a group like this.

“I have been on a lot of teams throughout the years, and you know when you have something special. You know when you walk into a special room and that’s what they have here, and that’s what you want to be a part of. … I feel fortunate and excited to be part of this group.”