Tempers flared as the Anaheim Ducks steamrolled the Florida Panthers by a score of 7-3 in the 2025-26 NHL season. After the game, Joel Quenneville issued a strong statement on Leo Carlsson’s hit against Evan Rodrigues, which forced him out of the ice.
Quenneville showed no mercy for his former NHL organization, as the Ducks blew the Panthers out of the water. Florida was caught flat-footed upon touching down in the Golden State, and Anaheim didn’t stutter to run up the score. Despite Carlsson’s game-misconduct and five-minute major, the Ducks never lost control of the game.
After the game, ‘Coach Q’ voiced a stern message to the NHL about the penalty called on Carlsson for his hit up high on Rodrigues. The three-time Stanley Cup-winning head coach made his discomfort clear with his postgame comment.
“I didn’t think it was a major,” Joel Quenneville admitted, via NHL.com. “I think everybody could look at it a different way, but it looked like there was no intention there. He was just going through the middle. It was just one of those unfortunate hits.”
Leo Carlsson #91 of the Anaheim Ducks
He who keeps on delivering
Nothing is going the Panthers’ way in the 2025-26 NHL season. Battling through injuries, the Cats can’t catch a break as key players suffer setbacks night in and night out. Every attempt at gaining momentum has been stopped in its tracks, as Florida hasn’t won consecutive games since its 3-0-0 run to start the campaign.
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However, if there’s been one bright spot amid dark times in Sunrise, it’s the second-oldest player on the team: Brad Marchand. The 37-year-old veteran has made his presence felt in every outing and hasn’t slowed down despite recent personal events. Marchand is currently riding a five-game point streak with seven points over that span. Moreover, the former Bruins captain has registered a point in every game this season except two.
Taking out the brooms
The Ducks feature the seventh-youngest roster in the NHL, with an average age of 26.92 years. An up-and-coming squad in the Pacific Division, Anaheim vies to make a statement in the league.
Sweeping the season series against the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions might be exactly what the Ducks needed to gain the utmost confidence in Quenneville and what he can do for the organization.
