RALEIGH - Not deterred in the slightest after falling into a 1-0 hole against their intrastate rival, the Florida Panthers scored four unanswered goals to secure a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at PNC Arena on Sunday.
With the win, the Panthers improved to 2-0-0 at the Prospect Showcase.
"They came in and had the right mindset," Charlotte Checkers coach Geordie Kinnear said. "Give the group a lot of credit. They played hard and played fast. … It's hard when you haven't practiced a lot together, but they seem to know where everybody is out there. It's nice to see."
RECAP: Panthers take down Lightning, stay perfect at Prospect Showcase
Panthers prospects score four unanswered goals to improve to 2-0-0 at tournament
Following a scoreless first period, the Lightning broke the ice less than two minutes into the second when Jack Finley collected a pass from Gage Goncalves and roofed a shot over Kolby Hay's right shoulder into the twine from near the top of the right circle to make it 1-0.
Getting that goal back for the Panthers, Ethan Burroughs took pass from Santtu Kinnunen, who locked up the defenseman in front of him with a fake shot from the top of the right circle, and beat Jack LaFontaine with a sweeping wrister from the high slot to make it 1-1 at 5:26.
"I feel that we're playing good as a team right now," said Kinnunen, a seventh-round pick (207th overall) by the Panthers in the 2018 NHL Draft. "It's unbelievable how we've only played two games and we're already a tight group and playing together well. It's fun to know that a teammate has your back every time you're on the ice. It's just great to play with these guy."
Right before being replaced by Jari Kykkanen at the midway point of the period, Hay helped keep the game even when he stared down and then denied Grant Mishmah on a breakaway.
"It's hard to wait around," Kinnear said of Hay and Kykkanen, who combined to give up just one goal in their debut at the tournament. "They got to watch the first game, then they had practice, so they had to wait. Good for them. I'm glad it worked out for both of them to get in and do well."
With 2:43 left in the middle frame, Dennis Cesana gave the Panthers the lead when he wired home a shot from the point to make it 2-1.
"I don't know how it chipped in, but I just kind of went and got it," Cesana said. "Sourds (Justin Sourdif) got it down low, went low to high, and I just tried to walk and really just put a shot on net. Beez (Riley Bezeau) had a great screen, and that's kind of how it went in. I just threw it at the net."
Gaining plenty of leadership experince while serving as a captain at Michigan State in 2021-22, Cesana, who is entering the first year of a two-year AHL deal he signed with the Checkers back in March, has been wearing an "A" on his jersey throughout Florida's rookie camp.
"I think I'm the oldest guy by two years or so on this team," chuckled Cesana, who turned 24 in April. "I'm just trying to embrace it. I'm just trying to be a leader for the younger guys and be loud, just trying to have everyone play their game and have fun doing it. It's been good. I enjoy it."
A little over a minute after Cesana's strike, Josh Davies kicked the puck up to his stick and carried it through the neutral zone before dishing it across the ice to Patrick Giles, who then fired a slick wrister past LaFontaine from the right circle to extend the lead to 3-1 heading into the second intermission.
With 3:27 left in regulation, Sandis Vilmanis made it 4-1 and iced the game away with an empty-net goal.
After opening the Prospect Showcase with a 6-1 drubbing of the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, the Panthers will now attempt to finish the four-team tournament a perfect 3-0-0 when they close things out against the Nashville Predators at 10 a.m. ET. on Monday at PNC Arena.
"Let's make sure we play at that same pace tomorrow," Kinnear said.
The Florida Panthers will kick off the 2022-23 season at FLA Live Arena against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 19, 2022. The first 10,000 fans through the doors will receive a commemorative magnet schedule courtesy of Bally Sports Florida. Click HERE to purchase your tickets today!
