Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside all 31 shots he faced, and Sam Reinhart scored the lone goal as the Florida Panthers edged the New Jersey Devils 1–0 on Thursday night — a game that doubled as a celebration of Jeff Petry’s 1,000th NHL appearance.
The victory marked Florida’s first 1–0 regulation win in a regular-season game since 2017. Bobrovsky’s shutout — the 51st of his career — moved him into a tie for 28th place on the NHL’s all-time list.
Reinhart provided the decisive moment midway through the opening period, collecting the puck near the blue line, slipping past Devils defenseman Luke Hughes, and firing a sharp-angle shot over Jake Allen’s shoulder. It was Reinhart’s 11th goal of the season, and Bobrovsky made it hold, surviving a frantic New Jersey push in the final minute.
Allen stopped 23 shots in a strong outing, but the Devils were shut out for the first time this season. New Jersey has now suffered back-to-back regulation losses for the second time this year.
Before puck drop, the Panthers honored Petry’s milestone with a heartfelt ceremony. Petry’s four children wore jerseys representing each of his previous teams — the Oilers, Canadiens, Penguins, and Red Wings — and the Panthers presented the family with commemorative gifts. Florida players warmed up wearing special jerseys with Petry’s No. 2, which will be auctioned for charity.
The night also featured the NHL debut of rookie Jack Devine, a two-time national champion at Denver, stepping in as the injury-plagued Panthers continued to operate without seven regular players.
Up Next
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Devils: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday night.
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Panthers: Host Edmonton in a Stanley Cup Final rematch on Saturday.
