5 Takeaways: Noel, Gibson Lead Panthers Past Stars in Shootout

DALLAS - After tying the game with under a minute left in regulation, rookie Serron Noel went on to score the game-winning goal in the shootout to help the Panthers improve to a perfect 3-0-0 in the preseason with a 4-3 victory over the Stars at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.
In a battle that pitted energetic youth against hardened experience, Florida's victorious lineup consisted of only two players that have appeared in more than 100 games in the NHL, while the Stars had 12 of their own, including two 1,000-game veterans in Joe Pavelski and Ryan Suter.

"It shows a true testament to our character," said Noel, who earned first-star honors. "We grinded it out. They had some veterans and some skilled players, and we gave it to them."
Sent to an early power play after Henry Bowlby caught an elbow from Jamie Benn, the Panthers drew first blood in Big D when Owen Tippett's shot caught just a piece of Mason Marchment in front of the net before squeaking through Jake Oettinger to make it 1-0 at 3:20 of the first period.
In the second period, Logan Hutsko doubled the lead when he collected a saucer pass from Zac Dalpe in transition, skated into the right circle and fired a shot on Oettinger, who made the initial stop before the puck slowly trickled over the line to give the Panthers a 2-0 advantage at 2:57.
Finally getting the puck past Christopher Gibson on their 24th shot of the game, the Stars sliced their deficit in half at 6:55 when Alexander Radulov buried a rebound to make it a 2-1 contest.
Riding off that momentum swing, the Stars then scored two more goals in the blink of an eye. After Jason Robertson buried a backhand shot on the power play to tie the game 2-2 at 12:48, Benn ripped a wrist shot past Gibson from the right circle in transition to make it 3-2 at 14:07.
That's where the score would stay until the final minute of the third period when the Panthers pulled their goaltender in favor of the extra attacker. As a scramble unfolded around the blue paint after Eetu Luostarinen sent a shot toward the net, Noel pounced on the loose puck and knocked it past Oettinger with 44 seconds remaining to make it a 3-3 game and force overtime.

"That was huge," Noel said. "I didn't even realize it went in at the start. The puck was just loose, Luosty made a great play, and I was just battling in front like the other guys, trying to put it in."
With neither team capitalizing in the extra frame, the game eventually went to a shootout where, after Gibson turned aside all three Stars he faced down, Noel scored again to seal the 4-3 win.
"A very young lineup, not a lot of veterans either," Quenneville said. "They pushed and worked for one another. They're pretty excited after the win. The bench was good. They want to play. They want to play more. I thought it was pretty comparable contributions across the board."
The Panthers will host the Stars for a rematch on Friday at FLA Live Arena at 7 p.m.
Here are five takeaways from Wednesday's win in the Lone Star State…

1. MARCHMENT BREAKS THE ICE

Like coaches always say, go to the net and good things will happen.
Digging in right on top of the blue paint on the power play, Marchment earned his first goal of the preseason when a shot from Tippett bounced off part of his leg and flew past Oettinger to break the ice and give the Panthers a confidence-boosting 1-0 lead at 3:20 of the first period.

A versatile weapon, Marchment saw time up and down the lineup during his first season with the Panthers in 2020-21. Appearing in 33 games, the 26-year-old forward recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists), not including a pair of goals against the Lightning in the postseason.
In April, the Panthers signed Marchment to a one-year contract extension.

2. HUTSKO'S HOT STICK

It's been a productive couple of weeks for Hutsko.
After racking up a team-leading five points (three goals, two assists) in the Prospect Showcase Tournament, the 22-year-old forward netted his first goal of the preseason tonight when he beat Oettinger with a nifty shot off the rush to extend Florida's lead to 2-0 at 2:57 of the second period.

"He's got a hot stick," Quenneville said of Hutsko. "He knows how to score. He knows where to go. He's an opportunist. Whether he creates quick little 2-on-1's, quick little lanes, he has that knack for being a goal scorer, being a point producer. He's got high-end skill."
Heading into his first tour of the pros after spending four seasons at Boston College, Hutsko, who signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Panthers in March, showed off his scoring touch often during his time with the Eagles, netting 41 goals over 114 career games in college.
"He's always dangerous," Quenneville said. "I think he's had two solid games for us."

3. NOEL'S GOALS

Noel had himself a night, didn't he?
Already riding high after helping the Panthers force overtime with a clutch goal late in the third period, the 21-year-old rookie added another big exclamation point soon after in the shootout.
After carefully watching Tippett and Cole Schwindt get denied by Oettinger, Noel said he got the idea got try and go five-hole on the Stars goaltender - a crucial decision that paid off in the end.
"I was pretty confident after watching Tipp and Scwhinner go," Noel said of his mindset before burying the game-winner in the shootout. "I saw some holes. I went five-hole and it worked out."

Making a good early impression on the Panthers, Noel, who notched four points (one goal, three assists) during his debut season in the AHL with Syracuse in 2020-21, also had a strong showing in the Prospect Showcase Tournament prior to training camp, scoring two goals over three games.
"Serron's had two outstanding [preseason] games," Quenneville said. "I thought when I saw him play in Tampa there in those rookie games, he was the most noticeable in those games too. It's been a really good camp for him. I like how he prepared himself and put himself in a position to improve his position in the organization depth-wise. He's been a real positive story so far."

4. GIBSON GETS IT DONE

Quenneville tipped his hat to Gibson following tonight's win.
"I thought he was outstanding tonight," Quenneville said of the goalie's performance. "He was a big factor in all parts of us coming back, getting one [point] and then the extra one, too."
In addition to turning aside 35 of 38 shots in regulation and overtime, Gibson stood on his head in the skills competition when he stopped Robertson, Tyler Seguin and Radulov in succession.
Joining the Panthers this offseason, the 28-year-old netminder appeared in two games with the Lightning in 2020-21, registering a 1-1-0 record and .875 save percentage. He also suited up for two games in the AHL with Syracuse, posting a perfect 2-0-0 record and .925 save percentage.
With goaltending depth always important, Quenneville has liked what he's seen from Gibson.
"We certainly like the way he's handled himself every time he's hit the ice," Quenneville said. "He's got a good attitude. The guys seem to like him. I love what we saw today. That was great."

5. MISSISSAUGA CONNECTION

The Panthers dusted off an old line from the junior ranks for tonight's matchup.
Teammates for two seasons (2017-18, 2018-19) in the OHL, fans of the Steelheads rejoiced on social media when they saw that Schwindt and Tippett were back together on a line in Dallas.
Two of the most-productive players to ever put on a Mississauga jersey, Tippett currently sits first in goals (114) and fourth in points (203) on the franchise's all-time lists, while Schwindt, who played one fewer season in the OHL, ranks eighth in goals (55) and 10th in points (138).
Entering training camp in the driver's seat for a spot on the second line, Tippett broke out during last year's playoffs, tallying four points (one goal and three assists) in six games. Schwindt, meanwhile, made the leap to the pros in 2020-21, picking up a goal and an assist in 10 games in the AHL.
In tonight's win, the duo combined for four shots, two blocks and one takeaway.