RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Gustav Forsling hammered a shot past Brandon Bussi with 4.3 seconds left in overtime to lift the Florida Panthers past the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 in Tuesday's season opener for both teams.
On a night when the defenses and goaltenders had the edge, it was a blue-liner who provided the winning play to end a matchup of the last two teams to win the Cup.
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Carolina Hurricanes pose for a group photo as the championship banner is raised during the team's Stanley Cup celebration before their season-opening NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' Nicolas Deslauriers (44) exchanges blows with Florida Panthers' Bokondji Imama (14) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) chases the puck with Florida Panthers' Gustav Forsling (42) nearby during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Florida Panthers celebrate their 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes following an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
The Panthers had their final chance with the game seemingly headed to a shootout as Carter Verhaeghe brought the puck into the zone with under 10 seconds left. But Verhaeghe sent the puck back toward Forsling, who fired a one-timer from near the blue line that zipped past Bussi's glove side to end it.
That spoiled the end of a three-month celebration for the Hurricanes since beating Vegas in June to cap a 16-3 march to the franchise's second Cup. The final piece was the players gathering at the blue line and tapping their sticks as a championship banner rose to the rafters.
That moment came against the Panthers, who reached the Stanley Cup Final for three straight years and won it all in 2024 and 2025. They had twice eliminated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in their run, though injuries derailed last year.
Getting captain Aleksander Barkov back from that lengthy injury list was one of several reasons to expect the Panthers to jump right back into contention, along with Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk welcoming brother Brady as an offseason addition. There was also the change by bringing in Jacob Markstrom to take over the crease anchored by Sergei Bobrovsky during those title runs.
And for much of this one, it was up to Markstrom and Bussi to hold up in net, including against multiple one-on-one quality chances and a combined 13 power plays in regulation.
Markstrom finished with 15 saves while Bussi — who posted a shutout in Carolina's Cup-clinching win against Vegas — made 19 saves before giving up the last blast.
Panthers: Florida heads west to face the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Hurricanes: Carolina hosts the Washington Capitals on Friday night.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Carolina Hurricanes pose for a group photo as the championship banner is raised during the team's Stanley Cup celebration before their season-opening NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' Nicolas Deslauriers (44) exchanges blows with Florida Panthers' Bokondji Imama (14) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) chases the puck with Florida Panthers' Gustav Forsling (42) nearby during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Florida Panthers celebrate their 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes following an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
NEW YORK (AP) — Injured captain Aaron Judge was left off the New York Yankees' roster for their AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox starting Tuesday night.
Giancarlo Stanton, out since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs, was included. So was center fielder Trent Grisham. Both were on the bench for Game 1 in the best-of-three series.
Sidelined since Sept. 16 by a strained right calf, Judge took live batting practice on the field Monday in an effort to persuade manager Aaron Boone and the medical staff that he could play. Judge walked twice, hit a comebacker to the mound and took a called third strike against teammates Ryan Weathers and Elmer Rodríguez.
Judge did not join the pregame introductions Tuesday.
The three-time AL MVP had a platelet-poor plasma injection Sept. 21. The 34-year-old slugger was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to Sept. 8 and played in just seven games before the latest injury.
“He’s had a good couple of weeks of obviously really grinding and doing everything he possibly can to be an option. Just felt like he’s not quite there yet,” Boone said Tuesday. “We’ll see about being an option moving forward.”
He was limited to 66 games this season. He hit .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs in September.
Boone met with Judge and the athletic training staff after Monday's workout to inform him of the decision.
“Hopefully these next several days for him are beneficial and he continues to move the needle,” Boone said.
Stanton started the season with a .256 batting average, three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games. The 36-year-old designated hitter, acquired after winning the NL MVP award in 2017 with Miami, had 38 homers and 100 RBIs in his first season with New York but has missed 500 of 1,194 games since (41.9%).
Stanton is viewed as a right-handed pinch-hitting option against a Boston pitching staff with seven left-handers on the roster.
“He’s never stopped going and stopped grinding even through some tough moments and some tough setbacks, and so he’s put himself in a position," Boone said.
Grisham had been sidelined since straining his right hamstring on Sept. 4. He was among New York’s 16 position players.
Ace left-hander Garrett Crochet, who won last season’s Wild Card Series opener at Yankee Stadium by allowing one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings, was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and will be available in the bullpen.
“That could be a big arm for us,” manager Chad Tracy said.
The two-time All-Star has not pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inflammation.
“I don’t think it was an overly difficult decision,” Tracy said. “Obviously, he’s very available tonight. It will be read and react after that. But not closing the doors on anything."
Second baseman Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, is out for the series against Atlanta after spraining his left ankle last Thursday.
Left-hander Brooks Raley, like Arraez acquired ahead of the trade deadline, also was left off.
Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan and infielder Otto Kemp were included as the Phillies went with 14 position players.
Philadelphia did not include any players it acquired at the trade deadline.
Infielders Rowdy Tellez and Luke Williams were included on the roster by Atlanta, which has 15 position players.
Tommy Pham, a 38-year-old outfielder acquired from Philadelphia on Aug. 31, was among 14 position players picked by Chicago for its series at Houston in a rematch of the 2005 World Series — the Astros moved to the AL for the 2013 season.
Pham hit .429 for Arizona in the 2023 World Series against Texas.
Right-hander Ethan Pecko, 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA in eight starts from mid-August through the end of the regular season, is injured and was not among the Astros’ 12 pitchers. Steven Okert (hamstring) also was left off.
Houston included Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, who struggled to a 6-4 record and 4.93 ERA in 15 starts and eight relief appearances after coming to Major League Baseball with a $54 million, three-year contract.
Infielder Reynal Delgado, who played in just three games for the Astros after July 19, was included along with outfielder Joey Loperfido, chosen over LaMonte Wade Jr.
Joe Musgrove was among 11 pitchers on the Padres' roster against the Cubs, and the 33-year-old right-hander could make his first big league appearance since the 2024 wild card game.
He left that game against Atlanta after 3 2/3 innings because of elbow tightness and had Tommy John surgery that Oct. 11. He made four minor league appearances this past August but then experienced soreness. In 2021, he threw San Diego's first no-hitter.
“What we’ve seen from him the last week or 10 days has been good, impressive,” manager Craig Stammen said.
Designated hitter Miguel Andujar was included. Right-hander Randy Vásquez and infielder Sung-Mun Song were left off.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman was included despite a left shoulder that was sore after he made a sliding tag at third base on Sept. 23.
Left-hander Caleb Thielbar, who had a 4.86 ERA this year, was not among the Cubs’ 12 pitchers.
Right-handed-hitting Gabriel Arias was among the position players.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton hits during live batting practice before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton takes live batting practice before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Injured New York Yankees' Aaron Judge sits with teammates in the dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge walks back to the dugout after the bottom of the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
