Swedish defenceman Gustav Forsling blasted a slapshot past goaltender Brandon Bussi with just 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime to secure the win. Forsling finished a pass from Carter Verhaeghe to end a tightly contested contest dominated by strong goaltending and defensive play.
Jacob Markstrom made 15 saves to earn the shutout for Florida, while Bussi stopped 19 shots in a losing effort for the hosts. Carolina managed only 15 shots on goal, the fewest by a reigning Stanley Cup champion in a season opener since 1955.
The Hurricanes, who claimed their first Stanley Cup in 20 seasons last June by defeating Las Vegas, raised their championship banner in a pre-game ceremony before a sellout crowd at the Lenovo Center.
Both teams struggled on the power play, with Carolina going 0-for-6 and Florida 0-for-7. The game was the first season-opening contest to remain scoreless through regulation since 1984.
The Panthers welcomed back captain Aleksander Barkov after a season-long injury absence, while brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk played their first NHL game together following Brady’s trade from Ottawa.
In other opening-night results, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 and the Boston Bruins shut out the New York Rangers 3-0.