Florida Panthers Latvian-born duo Vilmanis and Balinskis combine for a first in NHL history

The Panthers got steamrolled 9-1 by the Carolina Hurricanes, the kind of score that makes you want to turn the page fast. But buried inside the mess was a moment that will outlive the boxscore.

Uvis Balinskis had just signed a two-year extension with Florida, and the official announcement dropped Friday back home in Sunrise.

The deal starts in 2026-27 and runs through 2027-28.

The cap hit is the nice part, a clean $875,000 per season, which is exactly how contenders stay sturdy through injuries.

PuckPedia and the Panthers cap page both show the same number.

Then the hockey gods leaned in, because Balinskis scored, and Vilmanis picked up the assist for his first NHL point.

That's already a personal milestone for a 21-year-old trying to belong.

And it got even better, because NHL Stats noted Vilmanis and Balinskis became the first Latvian-born pair to team up for a goal.

Vilmanis said it straight, Latvia is small, so sharing this is special.

Vilmanis was a fifth-round pick in 2022, 157th overall, and Florida's own prospect notes show how quickly he's pushed forward this season.

He had 19 points in 31 AHL games before the call-up, and he plays like he wants another shift.

Balinskis is 29, undrafted, and his path is the kind that makes you appreciate every NHL shift.

When he talks about the group making him better every day, it lands because you can see him growing into the league.

This is the stuff that hits a whole country, because Latvia doesn't get dozens of NHL storylines at once.

When two Latvians connect on a goal, it feels like proof that the pipeline is real.

Florida will forget the 9-1 quickly, but Vilmanis won't forget that first point, and Balinskis won't forget scoring right after signing.

Sometimes the best hockey memories show up on the worst nights.