SUNRISE, Fla. — Vitek Vanecek made an impressive start with the Florida Panthers after being traded to the team recently. By Saturday night, fans at the Amerant Bank Arena were already chanting his name loudly. The 29-year-old goaltender delivered a stellar performance, stopping all 21 shots to secure a 4-0 victory against the Buffalo Sabres, helping the Panthers extend their winning streak to six games.
“I definitely heard the chants a couple of times,” Vanecek mentioned regarding the enthusiastic crowd. “It’s quite amazing. The fans here are incredible. It’s my first game with the team, but I’ve played here with other teams before and the atmosphere has always been fantastic.”
On Saturday, Vanecek achieved his first shutout this season, which marked the ninth in his career, amidst a dominant display by the Panthers. He joins a prestigious club as only the third Florida goalie to achieve a shutout in their debut game, following in the footsteps of Chris Driedger and Jose Theodore.
According to Panthers coach Paul Maurice, “He made several crucial saves tonight, and crucial ones at that. The opposing team has a strong offense, making them a formidable opponent. Vanecek truly earned this shutout.”
Vanecek was part of several notable acquisitions made by Florida ahead of the NHL trade deadline, as the reigning Stanley Cup champions aim for another title. Alongside stars like Brad Marchand and Seth Jones, Vanecek was added to reinforce the team’s backend after Spencer Knight was traded for Jones. His performance on Saturday showcased his potential value in supporting Sergei Bobrovsky, the two-time Vezina Trophy-winning starter.
“He displays immense efficiency and solid positioning, much like Sergei,” Maurice observed. “Both are somewhat similar in their efficient, calm, and square stance, coupled with their tenacity. There’s a strong competitive spirit in the net.”
Vanecek made an exceptional breakaway save against Buffalo’s Peyton Krebs in the first period and followed with a significant save against Ryan McLeod in the second, drawing admiration and cheers from the fans.
“This will really boost his confidence going forward,” remarked Nico Sturm, Vanecek’s former Sharks teammate who recently joined the Panthers in a separate transaction. “Getting that first game and first win is crucial. From here, it’s all about settling into the regular routine.”
While the Sharks currently rank eighth in the Pacific Division, the Panthers have a vastly different scenario, standing as leaders in the Atlantic Division. Sturm, who also debuted on Saturday, noted the excitement of engaging in meaningful play after a stretch of limited success.
“I haven’t experienced many victories in recent seasons,” said Sturm. “My role feels more impactful now. Even though I might not score, contributing to penalty-killing units that prevent goals makes your contribution feel significant. Winning as a team is the true reward.”
The Panthers have registered three shutouts in their last four outings and have conceded just one goal during this period—a feat unmatched since the Tampa Bay Lightning during their 2020-21 Stanley Cup-winning campaign.
This was achieved despite missing star forward Matthew Tkachuk due to a lower-body injury sustained last month. He is expected to be sidelined for a few more weeks.
Maurice praised the determined efforts of the veteran players, acknowledging the crucial impact made by new additions at the trade deadline. He stated, “All top-tier division teams made improvements, and we did the same. Our targeted signings filled key gaps, significantly enhancing our prospects.”
