Noel Acciari’s hat trick powers the red-hot Florida Panthers past Nashville Predators

Florida Panthers winger Grigory Denisenko can only dream of a career as successful as Aaron Ekblad.

Denisenko, a 20-year-old Russian and Florida’s first-round pick in 2018, made his NHL debut Saturday as his Panthers routed the host Nashville Predators 6-2. Denisenko didn’t register a point, but that didn’t stop Florida from winning its second consecutive game.

No NHL team has fewer losses in regulation this season than the Panthers (15-4-4). Florida is also 8-1-1 away from home, which is the fewest losses in the league this year.

The Panthers on Saturday got three goals from Noel Acciari, one goal and one assist from Ekblad, a team-high 10th goal by Jonathan Huberdeau and a tally from Frank Vatrano.

Acciari, who scored 20 goals last season in his Panthers debut, had gone scoreless until Saturday. Prior to last season, he had never scored more than 10 goals.

Two of Acciari’s goals Saturday came off of rebounds, and one was the first power-play tally of his career.

“I couldn’t find my scoring touch, I guess, off of last season,” Acciari said. “I loosened up.”

This was Acciari’s third career hat trick, all with the Panthers, earning him praise from Panthers coach Joel Quenneville.

“He either scores none or three,” Quenneville joked. “He’s been pressing a bit, but I don’t care how many goals he scores. He does all the other things you want.”

Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves Saturday, and the two goals he allowed were the direct result of faceoffs lost by the Panthers.

Bobrovsky escaped injury when he was tripped by Nashville’s Filip Forsberg with 11:57 left in the third. Bobrovsky landed hard on his back, but he remained in the game after a brief delay.

As for Denisenko, he played 12:59, and he had two shots on goal, one hit and one blocked shot. He was also called for a tripping penalty that led to Nashville’s first goal.

“For his first NHL game,” Quenneville said, “I didn’t mind him.”

Longer term, the Panthers are looking for Denisenko to become an impact player. The last Panthers draft pick to make it big was Ekblad, who was the first overall selection in 2014. Ekblad leads all NHL defensemen this season with nine goals.

Since 2014, however, the Panthers haven’t gotten much out of the draft. Henrik Borgstrom, Florida’s highly touted first-rounder in 2016, is now playing in Finland. Owen Tippett, Florida’s equally acclaimed first-rounder in 2017, was a healthy scratch on Saturday, which was perhaps a symbolic passing of the proverbial torch to Denisenko as the Panthers’ next great hope.

However, Denisenko’s first big play on Saturday was a negative one as he got sent to the penalty box for tripping Forsberg.

Nashville’s power play clicked just seven seconds later as Ryan Johansen won the faceoff, and Forsberg passed the puck to Eeli Tolvanen, whose wrist shot from the left circle sailed past a completely screened Bobrovsky.

But after the Panthers were outshot 10-0 in the first portion of the opening period, Ekblad tied the score 1-1 with a shot past the glove of Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.

“[Ekblad] looks like top power forward at times,” Quenneville said.

Panthers winger Patric Hornqvist said that goal was “huge” in terms of momentum.

That momentum showed just 75 seconds into the second period as Huberdeau got career goal No. 158, passing Scott Mellanby for third place on the Panthers’ career list.

On his milestone goal, Huberdeau was in alone, scoring on his third move, lifting the puck over Renne’s right pad from point-blank range. Hornqvist got the primary assist for the stretch pass that freed up Huberdeau.

“I felt I had to go blocker side,” Huberdeau said.

Acciari scored the next two goals to put the Panthers up 4-1 after two periods.

The Predators cut their deficit to 4-2 just 19 seconds into the third period, but goals by Vatrano and Acciari iced the game.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov have combined for seven goals and 17 points in Florida’s first four games against Nashville this season.

▪ Anton Stralman, who suffered a lower-body injury in Florida’s previous game, sat out. Kevin Connauton played in his place.

▪ Denisenko became the 15th player to make his Panthers debut this season, which is more newcomers than any other team in the league.

▪ Forward Vinnie Hinostroza was a healthy scratch, and defenseman Riley Stillman was sent to the taxi squad.

This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 5:35 PM.