Worrell, Booth net hat tricks for Panthers during All-Star Alumni Game

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. --With fans of all ages filling the building to the brim, there was a lot of goals and even more laughs during the NHL All-Star Alumni Game at the Panthers IceDen on Wednesday.
As part of the "Coral Springs Hockey Festival," alumni from the NHL secured a 15-11 win over alumni from the Florida Panthers.
"It was great," said Hall of Famer and former Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, who played as a forward and lit the lamp in the final seconds of regulation. "The best part was just hanging out before the game in the locker room and having a few laughs and just talking about things that happened over the course of our careers. To be out there with those guys was a lot of fun."

Adding to the fun, two celebrity reporter-turned-coaches were behind the benches: Bally Sports Florida's Jessica Blaylock for the Panthers Alumni and ESPN's Emily Kaplan for the NHL Alumni.
"It's going to be incredible," said Kaplan, who made sure to note that her only prior coaching experience revolved around Tee-ball. "It's going to be great vibes. I'm looking forward to it."
With the game being split into two 30-minute halves with a running clock, the Panthers fell behind 5-1 in the first half before eventually making it 7-7 heading into the first intermission.
In the first half, Brian Boyle scored a pair of goals for the Cats.
"It felt good," said Boyle, who laced up his skates in South Florida during the 2019-20 season. "It's fun. I love to play. It was a lot of fun to see some familiar faces and also meet some new guys. It was awesome. … I was really excited that they asked me to play], and I jumped at it."
With the Panthers trailing 9-8 in the second half, one of the most memorable moments of the game came when Peter Worrell netted his third goal to make it 9-9. To celebrate the hat trick, Worrell's teammates, much to the delight of the crowd, threw their helmets on the ice.
"That was pretty cool," Worrell smiled when asked about the barrage of buckets. "I've lived a very charmed and blessed life, and that was just another example of that. ... My last hat trick was probably my first year pro against Jose Theodore. This was a bit different, but it was fun."
Suiting up for the Panthers from 1997-2003, Worrell now spends his time helping shape the next generation of hockey players as the Hockey Director at the Panthers IceDen. With lots of current and former students in the stands, Worrell joked that it was important that he had a big game.
"I keep telling these kids about how they should play and what they need to do to score goals," Worrell chuckled. "I guess I just had to show them that I could actually live up to my word."
Also netting a hat trick, David Booth, who spent parts of six seasons with the Panthers from 2006-2012, showed that even a decade after leaving South Florida that he can really still fly up and down the ice.
"Does he have an off switch? He's still got it," said Bryan McCabe, who captained the Panthers from 2008-11. "Apparently he's still playing in Norway or something, so that's kind of cheating."
Still a big part of the organization, McCabe serves as Florida's Director of Player Personnel.
"It's always special to see all the fans," McCabe said. "We had a great turnout tonight."
At the other end of the ice, San Jose Sharks legend Patrick Marleau, who stands as the NHL's all-time leader in games played with 1,779, guided the NHL Alumni to the win with a hat trick and a couple assists.
Coming together for a good cause, all proceeds from the NHL All-Star Alumni Game benefitted the Florida Panthers Foundation. In addition to the proceeds generated from ticket sales, player-worn jerseys from the game will be auctioned off at
[FlaPanthers.givesmart.com
.
"It's incredible," said Luongo, who was always involved in community events as a player. "We all get to do something we enjoy and have fun with, and then at the same time it's for a great cause. I love to be a part of these types of events, and I hope we have more in the near future."
To view the rosters for each squad, click
HERE
.