Claude Giroux has 2 assists in Panthers debut in win over Canadiens

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Claude Giroux had two assists in his first game for Florida, fellow newcomer Ben Chiarot set up a goal against his former Montreal teammates and the Panthers beat the Canadiens 4-3 on Thursday night.

"I’ve only been on the team for a morning skate and a game, but it’s obvious the talent that’s on the team," Chiarot said. "Easily, the most skilled team I’ve been on and it shows. The plays they make are really incredible."

The Panthers recently acquired Giroux from Philadelphia and Chiarot from the Canadiens.

"(Giroux has) been a great player in this league for a long time," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said. "(Chiarot), he’s a very great player in his own right on the front side of the puck. He showed it tonight. He had a lot of poise on 6-on-4 or 5-on-4, blocking shots. Really steady and clear."

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Claude Giroux #28 of the Florida Panthers looks to pass the puck against Christian Dvorak #28 of the Montreal Canadiens  in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on March 24, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

Aleksander Barkov, Mason Marchment, Anthony Duclair and Sam Reinhart scored for Florida. Spencer Knight made 28 saves.

Nick Suzuki, Jake Evans and Paul Byron scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 38 shots.

"We played a really strong team tonight and I thought we fought really well," Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. "It was a good result, not the outcome we wanted but it was a fun one to coach."

Both teams scored on their first shot.

Suzuki made Florida pay for Huberdeau' roughing call with a power-play goal 29 seconds into the first period. Barkov