RALEIGH, N.C. — The banner went up, the building roared, and Brandon Bussi nearly gave the Hurricanes a perfect opening-night finish. Instead, Carolina came away with one point after Gustav Forsling’s late overtime shot carried the Florida Panthers to a 1-0 win Tuesday at Lenovo Center.
Forsling fired from near the blue line with 4.3 seconds left in overtime, scoring on Florida’s 20th shot. Bussi said the puck may have changed direction off a Carolina defender, but he still put the responsibility on himself.
“That is one I should stop,” Bussi said. “It was from far enough away that I needed to pick it up. I did not get a clean look at it, but with four seconds left and a shootout right there, it is a bad goal by my standard.”
Quick facts
- Florida beat Carolina 1-0 in overtime in both clubs’ 2026-27 opener.
- Gustav Forsling scored with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime.
- Brandon Bussi stopped 19 shots for Carolina.
- The Hurricanes had three shots in the first period and 15 for the game.
- Carolina went 0-for-6 on the power play; Florida was 0-for-7.
- The Hurricanes host the Washington Capitals on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
Bussi entered the season as Carolina’s top goaltender after Frederik Andersen departed for the Edmonton Oilers in free agency. His teammates were not hanging the loss on the second-year NHL netminder after he held the Panthers off through regulation and most of overtime.
“He gave us a chance all night,” captain Jordan Staal said. “That is what you ask from your goalie. We need him to keep being the player he has been since he arrived.”
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said Bussi would want the winner back, but noted that the goalie was the main reason Carolina escaped with a point. Bussi made several high-end stops as Florida pushed its forecheck and kept the Hurricanes from finding much clean ice.
The night began with Carolina celebrating its second Stanley Cup championship. Bussi drew one of the loudest ovations during introductions, alongside Staal and Sebastian Aho, before the championship banner was raised.
He earned that reception last spring. After Andersen was hurt in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, Bussi stepped in after nearly two months without game action and handled 225:26 over the final four games.
He allowed six goals on 87 shots in that stretch, posting a 1.60 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. His 22-save shutout in Game 6 sealed the Cup for Carolina.
“It was a great moment for the fans,” Bussi said of the ceremony. “I may appreciate it more once I have time to process it. They deserved it. They probably deserved a better finish tonight, but it is the first game of 84 and those nights happen.”
Carolina’s 2025-26 run was a dominant one, finishing 16-3 in the playoffs with a plus-27 goal differential. Florida, meanwhile, arrived after missing last season’s postseason following injury trouble, despite winning the Cup in each of the two previous years.
The Panthers looked much more like their old selves Tuesday, attacking on the forecheck and turning the game into a low-event grind. Aho said Florida had the better start, while the final two periods became a hard defensive battle between two clubs accustomed to playoff hockey.
“There was not much room anywhere,” Aho said. “They had the better first period. After that, it was two teams defending well and fighting for everything.”
Carolina’s special teams could not break the deadlock. The Hurricanes failed on six power-play opportunities, while Florida came up empty on seven chances of its own.
Staal said a sharper power play might have changed the result. Brind’Amour pointed to rust throughout the lineup, saying Carolina’s best players struggled with the Panthers’ pressure, mishandled pucks and missed passes that normally connect.
The Hurricanes will get another chance to settle into their championship-defense season Friday, when Washington visits Raleigh. Bussi expects opponents to treat Carolina as the team to beat after last spring’s title run.
“We earned the right to get everybody’s best,” Bussi said. “We have to become comfortable with that, and I believe in our group.”
