Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice was pleased with his team's effort in two tough buildings this week

The Florida Panthers returned home on Thursday feeling good after a well-earned victory the night before.

Florida defeated the Utah Hockey Club 4-1 on Wednesday night at Delta Center, the first ever meeting between the two franchises.

For the Panthers, it was just their third win in seven games, as they have alternated wins and losses since being shutout in two straight during Christmas week.

With a tough stretch coming up against Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Detroit, the Cats understand the importance of building up some momentum while they can.

Fortunately, the Panthers are getting healthier and starting to resemble their usual selves on the ice again.

Let’s get to Wednesday’s takeaways:

TEAM VIBE IS BACK

December was a rough stretch for the Panthers.

Between players dealing with injuries or battling through an illness that moved through the locker room, Florida had to endure an extremely challenging schedule while maneuvering some unavoidable obstacles.

All this while always getting the best effort form every opponent because who doesn’t get jacked up to face the defending Stanley Cup champs?

Things are starting to settle around the team, and the feeling around the players and in the locker room is returning to a familiar place.

“I like it,” Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said. “It's gone back to, I think the Pittsburgh game, the bench, the mood of it, they're pulling for each other, supporting each other, battling, grinding and understanding that we come into a building and these teams are wired for us. They come ready.”

SOLID ROAD PLAY

As the road team, Florida didn’t jump all over Utah early in the game the way they would’ve liked.

As the opening frame progressed, however, the Panthers slowly began to put some shifts together that they could be pleased with.

Other than not being able to stay out of the penalty box as much as they would like, Florida is looking better while playing at even strength, and doing it in some hostile environments.

“You get out of the first period even, we're good on the road like that, and then I thought we built,” Maurice said. “I thought halfway through the first period we got our game going a little bit. I liked their ability to stay focused in the game straight through.”

BOQVIST HEATING THIRD LINE

Don’t look now, but Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist is playing some of his best hockey since joining the club.

Still only 26 years old, the young Swede has looked more like a Swiss Army Knife, playing anywhere and everywhere that Maurice has asked of him while bringing full effort at every turn.

Lately he’s been playing on the right side of Florida’s third line, centered by Anton Lundell, and this week seen the addition of Carter Verhaeghe on the left.

The line combined for two goals and seven points during the Panthers two games out west, with Verhaeghe riding a three-game point streak after going scoreless in his previous six.

Boqvist has been rolling for a few weeks now, racking up five goals and eight points over his past eight games.

With production coming from Boqvist and his line, it gives Florida legitimate scoring threats throughout their top nine.

That kind of depth is what teams need to sustain long playoff runs, as we’ve seen in Florida over the past couple postseasons.

“He’s earned it,” said Maurice. “We've used him at left and right wing, he's played center for us, he's played with different people, but he's a really competitive guy, and I think that that line with Lundy and Verhaeghe, there's some quickness on pucks, and there's some jump. You like to see the guys who’ve played hard all year in the first half, and maybe the numbers weren't what they would like, get a little reward on the road at this time and set themselves up for a real strong second half.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Checkers check-up: 3 Charlotte players, Head Coach Geordie Kinnear selected to AHL All-Star Classic

Boqvist, Bobrovsky backstop Panthers to 4-1 win in Utah

Florida Panthers to host New York Rangers in 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park

Panthers in Salt Lake City for first ever game against Utah Hockey Club

Florida Panthers to host 2026 Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami