SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers began their second straight Stanley Cup championship defense with a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday.

A.J. Greer , Carter Verhaeghe and Jesper Boqvist scored, and Mackie Samoskevich had two assists for the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 18 saves.

Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist, and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Blackhawks, who were playing their first game under coach Jeff Blashill.

Spencer Knight , who was playing against Florida for the first time since being acquired by Chicago in the trade for defenseman Seth Jones on March 1, made 34 saves.

Prior to the game, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad carried the Stanley Cup out of the tunnel and placed

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