5 TAKEAWAYS: Panthers 3, Islanders 1

With Sergei Bobrovsky standing tall in net, the Florida Panthers opened up their 2022-23 season in impressive fashion by grinding out a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Thursday.
When asked about the win, head coach Paul Maurice said he "loved all of it."
"I was really happy with it," Maurice said. "That team plays a game that got them to the conference finals [and semifinals] in two of the last three years. It's a hard game and it's a grinding game. I thought as the game went on we got better and better at it. Yeah, I'm happy with it."

For a quick recap of the game, click
HERE
.
To read up on five key takeaways for the Cats, continue below.

1. WHAT ABOUT BOB?

Bobrovsky was in mid-season form in Game 1.
Giving the Panthers time to find their footing, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner stood on his head throughout the entire first period. Stopping all 16 shots he faced, the biggest save came when he stretched out to his right to deny Ryan Pulock's backhander on a breakaway attempt.
That clutch denial was one of eight high-danger stops for Bobrovsky in the period.
"We gave some chances to them, and Bobby handled it very well," Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen said of his goaltender's exceptional performance. "He's a big key for our game."
Cool, calm and collected between the pipes, Bobrovsky continued to make big save after big save until the final horn sounded. Going a perfect 14-for-14 on high-danger shots, he ended up surrendering just one goal despite having a 3.94 expected goals against, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
"His confidence just builds and grows as the game goes on," Maurice said. "He settles guys down. He was really good."
Picking up right where he left off, Bobrovsky won a franchise-record 39 games in 2021-22.
"Winning is fun," Bobrovsky said. "Life is better when you win."

2. LUOSTY ISLAND

I'd like to first point out that Luostarinen is my niece's favorite player.
For the rest of you, there's still time to get on board.
Netting the first goal of Florida's campaign, the 24-year-old finally got the puck past Ilya Sorokin when he tipped a shot from Radko Gudas into the twine to make it 1-0 in the second period. In a battle between two goaltenders on top of their game, that was exactly the type of goal the Panthers knew they'd need to break the ice.
"That's kind of the style of the game," Bobrovsky said when asked about goals being hard to come by. "You just stay patient, stay together and have wait for a mistake from the opponent."
Starting this season on the left side of the third line after working as the team's fourth-line pivot in 2021-22, Luostarinen had a steady game on both sides of the ice in his first taste of real action since the switch. In addition to his goal, he also helped limit New York to just three shots on goal over the 9:06 of time he spent on the ice at 5-on-5, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
"I think it takes a little bit of time, but I'm getting used to it," said Luostarinen, who was named the first star of the game. "I feel pretty good out there."

3. GETTING IT BACK

How do you turn cheers into silence in less than a minute?
Ask Patric Hornqvist.
Just 30 seconds after the Islanders had tied the game early in the third period, the hard-nosed veteran pounced on his own rebound before beating Sorokin with a slick wrap-around goal to put the Panthers back on top 2-1 with what would go on to hold up as the eventual game-winning tally.
In 28 career games against New York, Hornqvist has found the back of the net 14 times.
"You're saying all the right things on the bench - next shift, next shift," Maurice said of the team's quick response. "Then they come back out [and score]. You don't want the crowd to get back in it. The bench is back up and excited. We got that good feeling [back] right away."
A vocal leader, Hornqvist also helped keep the mood light on the bench for the Panthers.
"Hornqvist is a funny man," Maurice chuckled. "I enjoy that part. You can joke around."
Always dangerous around the net, Hornqvist was one of five Panthers to register at least two high-danger shot attempts against the Islanders, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

4. LOOKS ON THE POWER PLAY

The Panthers went 0-for-5 on the power play, but the attempts were encouraging.
Coming painfully close to cashing in more than once, the Panthers recorded 21 shot attempts, nine high-danger shot attempts and 16 scoring chances with the extra attacker on Long Island.
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, they were expected to score 1.92 goals on the power play.
"We didn't score on the power play, but we had some really good looks," Maurice said.
With 19 of those 21 shot attempts coming from the top unit, Brandon Montour looked very comfortable quarterbacking things from the blue line. A new role for the two-way defenseman this season, he produced two scoring chances while skating a team-high 7:47 on the power play.
Moving forward, the numbers suggest the Panthers should cash in sooner rather than later.

5. TKACHUK'S HOT START

Matthew Tkachuk's first period had a little bit of everything.
He attempted two between-the-legs shots, nearly buried a shorthanded goal, racked up five scoring chances and grinned his way through a crowded shoving match along the benches.
Just as advertised, right?
"What'd he have, 16 shot attempts tonight?" Maurice said of Tkachuk's debut "They're going to go for him. He's got such an incredible stick. I knew he had good hands, but I didn't know how creative he was with them. His hand skills and hand-eye coordination are incredible."
Throwing everything on net, his 16 shot attempts were 10 more than any other Panther. When asked about his game, the 24-year-old admitted that there was "probably a little bit extra" adrenaline flowing through his veins as he hoped to make a good first impression on the ice.
Rewarded with an empty-net goal that put away the game and made it 3-1 late in the third period, Tkachuk said afterwards that he was much more interested in the win than scoring in Game 1.
"It doesn't matter to me," Tkachuk said very plainly. "I'm past that point in my life. I'm just happy to hear that buzzer go off and for us to win. I think it's the first time I've won the first game. I guess that's pretty cool. You can't win all 82, but it's great to get the first one, right?"
Even though he's only played one game with Florida, Tkachuk said it feels like much more than that.
"The culture is probably the biggest part of it," Tkachuk said when asked about the keys to his quick transition to the Panthers. "I know they've been building a culture here over the last few years. I just easily stepped into that. I feel like I've been playing for 10 years with these guys. They've made it that way. It's a big credit to them. I'm just super lucky."
Acquired by the Panthers from the Calgary Flames during the summer after he posted career-highs in goals (42) and points (104) in 2021-22, Tkachuk became the 37th player in franchise history to light the lamp in their debut.