Florida Panthers prospects cruise to 6-1 win over Hurricanes
Guzda, Kinnunen, Vilmanis standout in easy victory
The Florida Panthers rolled to a 6-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening game of the Invisalign Prospects Showcase in North Carolina.
Florida’s goals came from Liam Arnsby, Xavier Cormier, Josh Davies, Patrick Giles, defenseman Marek Alscher and Sandis Vilmanis, whose filthy pass set up Giles to make 4-1 early in the third.
The Cats got a strong performance from undrafted goaltender Mack Guzda, who played the entire game and bested counterpart Jakub Vondras 1-0 in the post-game shootout.
Carolina’s only goal came on a 2-on-1 break with Noel Gunler finishing to open the scoring.
Arnsby converted the rebound of Ethan Keppen’s shot to knot the score.
Florida forged ahead in the second when Cormier lit the lamp off an initial shot by Santtu Kinnunen, who impressed throughout the game. Evan Nause got the secondary assist on the power-play goal.
Almost immediately after Vondras replaced starter Patrik Hamrla, Davies got loose for a breakaway and finished it off on the backhand.
Giles and Alscher squelched any hope the home side had of coming back with goals early in the third period and Vilmanis completed the scoring.
Davies scored the only goal of the five-round shootout.
The Panthers prospects will practice today before they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow at 1 p.m. at PNC Arena.
Here are all the goals:
Arnsby (1-1)
A closer look at Liam Arnsby's first period goal 🔍 pic.twitter.com/3RnxnyN6YO
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Cormier (2-1)
Xavier Cormier lights the lamp with a PPG in the second 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1Rv8s33rch
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Davies (3-1)
Josh Davies with the backhand in the second 👀 pic.twitter.com/c592XPzrPX
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Giles (4-1)
Light it up!
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Patrick Giles & Sandis Vilmanis team up for goal four 🔥 pic.twitter.com/x7VmOdIuIq
Alscher (5-1)
Play Mambo No. 5 ‼️
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Marek Alscher snipes it in the third! pic.twitter.com/gghQX7wEAO
Vilmanis (6-1)
Finishing strong 🫡
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) September 16, 2022
Sandis Vilmanis nets it to seal the 6-1 win. pic.twitter.com/OID5fHwSY1
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