RALEIGH, N.C. -- The new-look Panthers came out flying Friday night, scoring two quick goals and limiting the Hurricanes to only four shots in the first period. The stat sheet said the visitors from South Florida were dominating, only, the scoreboard showed something decidedly different.

Of Carolina's four shots, two went in. The Panthers missed an opportunity to slam the door on a divisional rival, and it cost them.

With goalie Tomas Vokoun not sharp and Florida's new defensive corps making untimely mistakes, the Panthers wasted goals from four forwards as Carolina won the season opener for both teams 6-4 at RBC Center.

''I have to be better than that,'' said Vokoun, who gave up five goals in last year's season opener as well. One of Carolina's goals Friday was an empty-netter.

``But it's done, it's over. That's hockey. It's too bad because we played great, had a great start. It's unfortunate we didn't win. Certainly, some blame has to come to me. . . . It wasn't my best night. The result is heavily influenced by how I play. As a goalie you have to make the saves.''

New coach Pete DeBoer said after the game ''we didn't lose because of Tomas Vokoun,'' and that ''we have a lot of things to work on.'' Truth is, the Panthers didn't look all that bad, their aggressive new system showing they can play entertaining hockey.

Winger David Booth seems to be perfect for DeBoer's system, using his speed and strength to not only take the puck away from opponents, but do something with it. Booth scored Florida's first goal of the season a little more than four minutes into the game, creating his own magic by storming in and deking out goalie Cam Ward. Less than two minutes later, former Carolina winger Cory Stillman took advantage of a 5-on-3 situation, positioning himself in front of the net and scoring on a slick pass from Stephen Weiss to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

BACK AGAIN

The large crowd was stunned by Florida's sudden and initial success, as the Panthers picked up where they left off. The last time the Panthers visited Tobacco Road, they ended a 15-game winless streak in Raleigh and knocked the Hurricanes out of the postseason picture with an upset victory.

''It was the perfect game plan because it quieted the building down,'' DeBoer said of the early lead. ``Then they came back on us.''

Carolina scored back-to-back goals to close the first period. Ray Whitney tied it when newly acquired defenseman Nick Boynton failed to clear the puck near the goal. Carolina worked the puck around as Florida's defense collapsed, Whitney -- a popular former Panther -- pushing the puck through. In the second, Rod Brind'Amour gave Carolina its first lead when his wrist shot slipped past Vokoun.

''We have to get this one out of our minds quick,'' Boynton said. ``We had enough chances to win. We made mistakes and they are mistakes that cost you in this league.''

The Panthers had new life in the second period when Radek Dvorak scored after Booth lost the puck in traffic. But 90 seconds later, Carolina took the lead back for good when Joni Pitkanen scored. Carolina took its biggest lead of the night in the third when Dan LaCouture scored on a follow of a long rebound Keith Ballard couldn't get to.

WORK TO DO

''We need to be a little sharper,'' Ballard said. ``We need to clean some things up in our own end. We gave them second chances, and we -- myself include -- could have cleared the puck better. They kept it in and a couple [of] times that meant goals.''

Florida made one last run as Nathan Horton scored on a power play with 8:29 left to pull the team within one. In the final minute, Vokoun came out and the Panthers added a skater, yet they couldn't get off a shot. But Carolina's Matt Cullen did, the veteran center flicking the puck from the sideboards into an empty net.

''Coming into the game, I didn't think we'd give up six goals,'' DeBoer said. ``I thought our guys played right to the buzzer. We had some bad breaks around our net, but that's the way it goes. We out shot them, we out chanced them. We did a lot of good things.''

• Defenseman Bryan McCabe had to be helped off the ice after he was taken down along the side boards during the second period. McCabe was down for a few minutes after his attempted check of Carolina's Dennis Seidenberg.

McCabe hurt his back and didn't return. He's expected to be replaced by Noah Welch on Saturday.

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