FORT LAUDERDALE – California, here we come.
After ending their homestand on a high note, the Florida Panthers are now heading west with stops in Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose, before ending their trip in Las Vegas.
“We’re used to traveling long ways,” defenseman Niko Mikkola said of the annual trip to the Golden State. “Just keep it simple in the road games, that’s the key.”
Sitting at 6-5-1 and right in the thick of the Atlantic Division, the Panthers closed out their four-game defense of Amerant Bank Arena with a 4-3 shootout win over the Dallas Stars.
With the win, they finished their encouraging homestand at 2-1-1.
“Had some more bodies to the net to cause chaos and puck retrievals were better,” defenseman Seth Jones said. “We had a lot of time in there (offensive zone) and I think that’s a big part of why we had success.”
A back-and-forth game, there was no shortage of emotions or intensity from the first 60 minutes to the final save in the shootout.
In addition to opening the game’s scoring, Brad Marchand sealed the deal with the shootout winner in his return after the passing of his friend’s daughter, Selah.
