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After Troubling Start To Season, Florida Panthers No Longer Having Issues Scoring Early In Games

The Panthers opened the season struggling to find the opening‑period net, managing only eight first‑period goals in their first 12 games and just one in the initial five contests. After a stretch of seven games where they never led early, they finally grabbed a 1‑0 lead in their ninth outing, despite a 3‑2‑2 record in those matches.

Coach Paul Maurice noted the difficulty of playing from behind and praised the shift in their approach. Recent games have seen a reversal, with three first‑period goals against Seattle, another the next night in Ottawa, and two more in Chicago, followed by a three‑goal first period versus Winnipeg.

Defenseman Seth Jones highlighted how an early lead changes the team’s strategy, while forward Carter Verhaeghe credited improved puck movement and power‑play opportunities for the surge, noting five of the nine first‑period goals in the last five games came on the power play.

The Panthers will head back to South Florida for a three‑game home stretch that will keep them in the region for over a week, aiming to build on the recent early‑scoring trend.

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