Aleksander Barkov scored 12 seconds into the game and Mike Hoffman notched the go-ahead goal on breakaway 6:13 into the third period as the Florida Panthers bounced back from a disappointing loss on Friday to grind out a 3-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights and former head coach Gerard Gallant.
Barkov grabbed a loose puck and cruised into the Vegas zone, after Shea Theodore and Paul Stastny collided at center ice, before zinging a wrist shot by Marc-Andre Fleury’s wanting glove. It was the fourth-fastest goal from the start of a game in Panthers history and the fastest-ever in a home game.