Back to the 90s: Florida Panthers Edge Pittsburgh Penguins

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers celebrated 90s night at the Vault with an old-school, hard-fought 3-2 shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Spencer Knight, who was not even alive in the 90s, was the star of the night for the Panthers making 29 saves including both shots he faced in the shootout.

Florida took the lead on a power-play goal from Matthew Tkachuk with 11:12 left.

Florida’s penalty kill was forced to kill off two 4-minute double-minors during the game. The Panthers killed off the first, but Sidney Crosby scored 5 seconds into the second to tie the game at 1.

Gus Forsling have the Panthers the lead early in the second.

Tkachuk was given 2 minutes for unsportsmanlike and a 10-minute misconduct late in the second period.

He came out of the box for Florida’s first power play of the third with 13:03 remaining and deflected a shot from Carter Verhaeghe for the 2-1 lead.

The Penguins tied it in the final minute on a 6-on-4 power play chance.

NOTES: PENGUINS @ PANTHERS

• The NHL announced the Panthers’ Quarter Century Team (2000-25) with six active players among the 12 honored.
• Florida Hockey Now voters had a couple differences…
• Sam Reinhart and Sasha Barkov, both on the Quarter Century team, assisted on Forsling’s goal. It was the 24th time the two assisted on the same goal, the seventh-highest combo in franchise history. Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau assisted on 73 goals. Forsling and Huberdeau are also on the Quarter Century team.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Panthers 1, Penguins 0 (0:36 2nd): Gus Forsling sends a hard wrister off a pass from Sam Reinhart and puts it over the shoulder of Tristan Jarry.
• Penguins 1, Panthers 1 (11:09 2nd PP): Sidney Crosby one-times a blind feed from Bryan Rust 5 seconds into a double-minor on A.J. Greer.
• Panthers 2, Penguins 1 (8:48 2nd PP): Matthew Tkachuk posts up Ryan Graves in front of the net and redirects a Carter Verhaeghe shot for his 14th goal of the season.
• Penguins 2, Panthers 2 (19:19 3rd PP): With the net empty, the Penguins cash in on the 6-on-4 when Rickard Rakell gets in the slot and scores off a feed from Evgeni Malkin.
• Panthers 3, Penguins 2 (SO): Florida went 2-3 in the shootout; the Pens went 0-2.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Spencer Knight, Florida
• 2. Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh
• 3. Carter Verhaeghe, Florida

ON DECK: GAME No. 41

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT COLORADO AVALANCHE 

• When: Monday, 9 p.m.
• Where: Ball Arena, Denver
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• 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: Panthers Won 2-0
• This Season (Avs Lead 1-0) — At Colorado: Monday. At Florida: Avs 7, Panthers 4 (Nov. 23).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Colorado leads 28-14-5, 3 ties
• Postseason Series: Colorado d. Florida 4-0, 1996 Stanley Cup Final
• Up Next for the Panthers: Wednesday at Utah, 10 p.m.