If you didn’t know Daniil Tarasov before tonight, you do now. The Russian goaltender stood tall in his Florida Panthers debut, stopping 47 shots in a 4–2 preseason win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.
Tarasov’s composure under fire was the difference-maker — especially considering the early onslaught Carolina unleashed.
In a game where Florida was badly outshot in the first two periods, his resilience kept the Cats within arm’s reach until they could strike back late.
A Brick in the Foundation
After the game, Tarasov reflected on how comfortable he felt between the pipes:
“Yeah, it was kind of good. I just felt comfortable. It’s only an exhibition game, but still it was back on track… feeling those situations in the game.”
He emphasized the value of sticking it out:
“Working hard, battling until the end … tonight we found a couple mistakes from Carolina and scored our chances.”
For Tarasov, this game is more than just preseason — it’s another building block. He called it “a small brick for the building of a season” and noted that momentum and confidence play powerful roles even before the standings matter.
What the Coaches Saw
Head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t shy about the impact of Tarasov’s night:
“He was fantastic, that builds confidence… All the guys back home will know about the performance he had tonight.”
Maurice also praised Tarasov’s mental strength in a high-volume game:
“What they’re working on is being able to stay wired into a game for a full 60 minutes … he was able to stay mentally in that game straight through.”
When asked what he learned watching Tarasov, Maurice said the goaltender’s lateral movement stood out — and that it’s one thing to show skill in practice, but another to translate that in a game.
“He ran the full game tonight instead of splitting … because there’s a different mentality in splitting games.”
Game Flow: From Deficit to Upset
- Carolina got off to a fast start. Ryan Suzuki tipped in a shot at 10:07, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi extended the lead to 2–0 at 16:20.
- Through that storm, Tarasov was steady: 16 saves in the first, and by halftime he had faced 15 high-danger shots without folding.
- The rally began early in the third. Defenseman Ben Harpur got Florida on the board with a screened shot at 3:56.
- Then Noah Gregor tied it at 16:03. A minute later, Mike Benning gave Florida the lead with a redirected shot.
- Jack Studnicka finished it off with an empty-net goal in the waning seconds to seal the comeback.
Florida’s penalty kill also shone: Carolina had four man-advantage chances and scored none. Tarasov, in particular, handled a 5-on-3 early in the game.
What This Means for the Panthers
This was a confidence-boosting night for Daniil Tarasov, who stopped 47 shots and gave the Panthers a chance to come back.
Performances like this are valuable for Florida as they manage workloads and prepare for the grind of the season.
Sergei Bobrovsky remains the undisputed No. 1 goaltender in Sunrise, but having a backup who can step in and deliver when called upon is a huge asset.
Tarasov showed he can be that guy — steady, focused, and capable of stealing a game when needed.
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