And it turned out that that would exactly be the case, as the Canes took a decisive 5-2 victory with them back to Raleigh.
After killing off an early Calvin de Haan minor, Carolina made good on their first power play opportunity of the night as Stefan Noesen deposited a second chance past Sergei Bobrovsky. Competing for a roster spot after posting 48 goals with Chicago (AHL) last year, the Plano, TX-born winger cut through the slot and put home the rebound on his backhand to give the visitors the first lead of the night.
"It was a good feeling, just to score in general is the goal you strive for," Noesen remarked post-game. "It was a point shot that gave a lucky bounce and found me in the middle. Pretty simple, just cleaning up the trash."
3:35 later the Canes were back on the penalty kill, tasked with the shorthanded assignment after Ondrej Kase was called for a hook. And despite the Panthers going with their top dogs on the power play, Derek Stepan was instead the one to cash in. Streaking into the zone on the glove-hand side, Stepan fired to the same side, beating Bobrovsky up high.
"It doesn't happen without Haaner (de Haan) going to the net. That's what started it. It backs off their defense and gives me a chance to shoot it," Stepan said. "Without his hustle, we're not even talking right now. Their defenseman got put in a tough spot because the puck bounced right to me and put him in a tough spot, flat-footed. What Hanner did isn't easy work and that's why I was able to get the opportunity."
Taking a 2-0 advantage into the second, it took just 2:32 for Carolina to make their lead three - this one coming from 19-year-old Justin Robidas.
Connecting with up-and-comers Jamieson Rees and Joseph LaBate, Robidas' marker was the first of two from the Canes youth in the middle frame. This time 3:36 later it was 2020 second round selection Vasily Ponomarev putting home a cross-ice feed from Max Lajoie on the power play.
Florida's Sam Bennett would beat Antti Raanta in between Carolina's third and fourth tallies but when all was said and done it was the only shot that got by the visiting starter all night. Raanta turned away 20 shots in two period of work before Zach Sawchenko entered prior to the start of the third period.
In the final frame the two sides would trade goals but the Canes remained in control, earning their second preseason win in as many tries.
"I thought overall it was just a great effort, which is what you want to see this time of year," Brind'Amour summarized. "It was all new guys, young kids and them getting the way that we need to play."
