5 TAKEAWAYS: Bennett's Hat Trick Powers Panthers Past Islanders

SUNRISE, Fla. - Even after scoring three goals to help lead the Panthers to a convincing 5-1 win over the Islanders at FLA Live Arena on Saturday, Sam Bennett still had some work to do.
"I've still got to count 'em up," he said of the hats fans had thrown onto the ice.
With Sergei Bobrovsky turning aside 29 of 30 shots in net, Bennett's second-career hat trick provided more than enough offense as the Panthers cruised to their second straight victory.

"It was an amazing feeling," Bennett said of his performance "I've had a lot of fun here in Florida, and I think every game I've had more and more fun. We have a great team. It's a lot of fun to be around. The atmosphere tonight was awesome in the building. It was a great game."

With the Islanders applying much of the pressure early on in the opening period, the Panthers flipped the script when Bennett, who was battling with a defenseman in front of New York's net, banged home a rebound after a quick shot from Radko Gudas at 9:10 to make it a 1-0 contest.
Capping off a milestone moment in the second period, Bennett, who clearly was feeling fine despite missing practice on Friday, picked up his second goal of the game when he curled around the opposing cage and tucked in a wrap-around goal to extend the lead to 2-0 at 3:48.
With the primary assist on the score, Jonathan Huberdeau earned his 500th career point.
"I got drafted here and it's been quite a ride," said Huberdeau, who is in his 10th season with the Panthers after being drafted third-overall in 2011. "Obviously, it's fun to get 500. Hopefully I have way more [goals] ahead of me. It's just good to see the guys and the support we have."
Appearing to cut their deficit in half, the Islanders thought they'd finally got on the board at 8:06 when Ryan Pulock fired a long shot into an empty net. The reason the net was left unattended, however, was because of the fact Bobrovsky had been pulled out of the crease by Anders Lee.
After the Panthers challenged the play, the goal was overturned for goaltender interference.
"You've got to be more than right when you challenge it, and I thought that was pretty clear," Quenneville said.
Not long after escaping that brush with danger, the Panthers padded their lead further heading into the second intermission when Anthony Duclair settled down a lengthy outlet pass from MacKenzie Weegar and beat Sorokin on a breakaway with a nice deke to make it 3-0 at 18:57.
With the Panthers whistled for a delay of game penalty in the third period, Bobrovsky surrendered his only goal of the contest when Oliver Wahlstrom scored on the power play to cut New York's deficit down to 3-1 at 3:30.
"I saw the puck well," Bobrovsky said. "There were a couple drives, and the guys did a great job on the PK to keep all those shots outside. It's a good team effort and good two points for us."
Shutting down any hopes of a potential late comeback for the Islanders, Bennett ushered in a storm of rats and caps flying toward the ice when he beat Sorokin with a top-shelf snipe from the high slot to complete his impressive hat trick and send the Panthers ahead 4-1 at 9:39.
Adding one more for good measure, Aleksander Barkov then made it 5-1 at 12:22.
"No matter what line we put on the ice, the objective is play offense, keep the puck, play in their end and generate," Quenneville said. "Any line can score on any given night. Our power play hasn't clicked in yet, and I think that is an area where we can improve our offense and our possession game, but we're not complaining. I thought we did a lot of good things tonight."
Off to a perfect 2-0-0 start, the Panthers will now prepare for their toughest test yet.
After facing off in three straight games during the preseason earlier this month, they'll now take on the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Lightning in a game where the points actually count when the cross-state rivals meet for a highly-anticipated matchup at Amalie Arena on Tuesday.
"We're just going to keep it rolling," Bennett said.
Here are five takeaways from Saturday's win in Sunrise…

1. BENNETT'S BIG GAME

Oddly enough, Bennett's first-career hat trick came against the Panthers back in 2016.
But after tonight's performance, I'd say all is forgiven. Lighting the spark of what would prove to be a huge night, Bennett followed-up on a shot from Gudas and scored on the ensuing rebound to put the Panthers on top 1-0 in the first period.

Not done there, he then cashed in on a wrap-around goal to increase the lead to 2-0 in the second.

With two down and one to go, he then skated down the center of the ice and, with his linemates flanking him, wired home a smooth top-shelf snipe from the high slot to make it 4-1 in the third.
"Finding confidence early in the year, I think that's big for any player," Bennett said.
Exuding that confidence ever since he arrived from Calgary to South Florida at last year's trade deadline, Bennett, who has become a staple in the center of the team's second line, has now registered 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in just 12 career games in a Panthers sweater.
"I think last year when we came in we fit right away," Huberdeau said. "We have chemistry, with Tippy as well. Tonight, again, a hat trick. I'm just so proud of him. He works so hard out there."

2. FIVE HUNDRED FOR HUBY

As the franchise's all-time scoring leader, every point Huberdeau earns sets a new record.
But there are some numbers that just mean a little bit more than others.
With the primary assist on Bennett's second goal, Huberdeau, who is currently in the midst of his 10th season in South Florida, picked up the 500th point of his career. In the first timeout that followed that play, fans gave the star winger a rousing ovation as his milestone was announced.

"A big congrats to Huby on 500 points," Bennett said. "An amazing accomplishment for him. … He's one of the most-gifted players in this league. Honestly, in my mind he's the best playmaker in the league without question. To be able to play with him, he makes playing the game a lot easier and a lot more fun. I'm just going to ride it out and try to play with him as long as I can."
Leading the Panthers in scoring for the second consecutive season with 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) in 55 games in 2020-21, Huberdeau has opened up his latest campaign by cracking the scoresheet in each of the first two games with one assist against both Pittsburgh and New York.

3. DUKE'S DEKE

For the second straight game, Duclair showed off his ability to get to the net.
After corralling an outlet pass from Weegar, who floated the puck all the way from deep in the defensive zone to the opposing blue line, Duclair drove straight down the slot toward Sorokin, made a left-to-right deke and scored to put the Cats up 3-0 with 1:03 left in the second period.
"The way he took it off the tape there, it was an unbelievable play," Quenneville said of Duclair's ability to settle down Weegar's home-run pass. "It was a great play from Duke to take the pass and stay on-side in stride and make the finish as well."

Starting off the season with a red-hot stick, Duclair has now found the back of the net in each of the first two games of the campaign. Rewarded for his strong play, he was promoted to the top line at the start of the third period to play alongside the duo of Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe.
No stranger to playing with either of those two players, Duclair spent 236:55 of ice time with them last season at 5-on-5, with the Panthers leading 15-8 in goals when they were deployed.
"He's been dangerous off the rush, going wide and cutting in," Quenneville said of Duclair, who notched 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games last season. "He's had a couple highlight goals off the rush, down the middle with speed as well. That's the asset that he brings. Last year at the beginning of the year playing with Barky, I thought that was a dangerous line as well."

4. BOB KEEPS ROLLING

Two games into the season and two stalwart performances from Bobrovsky.
After stopping 43 of 47 shots in Thursday's season-opening win over Pittsburgh, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner made 29 saves against New York to earn his second consecutive win.
"I feel good," said Bobrovsky, who went 19-8-2 last season. "I felt pretty comfortable against Pittsburgh, also against Tampa [in the preseason] actually. I thought the guys performed very well. Sam Bennett stepped up and made huge, huge plays. It's nice to have a good start."
Of the five goals Bobrovsky has allowed this season, just two have come at even-strength.
"He's been incredible," Bennett said. "He's making game-changing stops. All we can ask of him is to be steady back there, and he's done a heck of a job. We have all the faith in Bob. It's great to see."

5. BARKOV'S FINISHER

For those of you that don't miss a game, this goal likely looked pretty familiar.
Putting an exclamation point on an overall outstanding night for the Panthers, Barkov skated toward the net and, while gliding smoothly through the slot from right to left, lifted the puck over Sorokin and into the twine to make it a 5-1 game around the midway point of the third period.
Getting a sense of deja'vu? That's because the Cats captain unleashed a similar goal, which is so, so much harder to execute than it looks, in a victory over the Wild back in January of 2020.

Producing at better than a point-per-game clip to start the season, Barkov, who inked an eight-year extension earlier this month, has registered one goal and two assists in his first two games.
A workhorse on the ice, he also led Florida's forwards with 18:01 of ice time tonight.

BONUS: KIERSTED'S FIRST POINT

With the primary assist on Bennett's third goal, Matt Kiersted notched his first point in the NHL.
Congrats!