Marchand Feeds Bennett, Panthers Beat Utah in OT

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers welcomed Brad Marchand to their lineup on Friday night and the addition paid immediate dividends against the Utah Hockey Club.

Florida ended up winning it 2-1 with 41.1 seconds left in overtime on Sam Bennett’s second goal of the night — this one off a feed from Marchand.

Marchand, who was playing in his first game with Florida since coming over from the Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline, was in the starting lineup and found time on Florida’s second power-play unit.

Bennett gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the second on their first power play chance, but Florida went scoreless on its next three chances with the advantage in the period.

Utah tied it on a 4-on-4 chance in the third.

Florida, which has won seven straight at home, jumped the idle Maple Leafs to reclaim first place in the Atlantic Division with the win.

NOTES: UTAH @ PANTHERS

• Sasha Barkov is expected to play in his 800th career game Sunday against the Canadiens and will have the third-most points (776) among Finnish players through 800 games behind Jari Kurri (1,080) and Teemu Selanne (919).
• Marchand has now played 1,091 NHL regular season games — with 1,090 coming with the Bruins.
• The Panthers celebrated the return of Kevin Stenlund with a first-period video. Stenlund, who centered Florida’s fourth line and was the team’s top penalty killer last season, got a standing ovation and applauded the crowd.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Panthers 1, Utah HC 0 (2:28 2nd PP): Mackie Samoskevich gets this one started, sending a cross-ice pass to Sasha Barkov — who feeds Sam Bennett camped out on the right post for the redirection goal.
• Utah HC 1, Panthers 1 (1:55 3rd 4/4): Sean Durzi came down on the right side off the rush and scored off a feed from Barrett Hayton.
• Panthers 2, Utah HC 1 (4:18 OT): Bennett scores off a slick feed from Brad Marchand to win it.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Sam Bennett, Florida
• 2. Brad Marchand, Florida
• 3. Karel Vejmelka, Utah

ON DECK: GAME No. 73

MONTREAL CANADIENS at FLORIDA PANTHERS  

• When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla) 
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season: Florida won 3-1
• This Season (Canadiens Lead 2-0) — At Montreal: Canadiens 3, Panthers 1 (March 15); Tuesday. At Florida: Canadiens 4, Panthers 0 (Dec. 28); Saturday.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 58-41-11, 6 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.