Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Get Their Groove Back in Toronto
After giving up three goals in the third period Tuesday night in Boston, the Florida Panthers were not all that happy.
Forget that they brought a six-game winning streak into that game against the Bruins, or, that they had won 11 of 13.
It was just one loss, yet, but the Panthers felt they had something to prove on Thursday in Toronto.
The Panthers did get things rolling once again, scoring three straight goals between the second and third periods to beat the Maple Leafs 3-2.
Florida remained atop the Atlantic Division with the win, now holding a four-point lead on the Maple Leafs.
The 3-2 loss in Boston on Tuesday came on the heels of the NHL Trade Deadline and kicked off what could be a very difficult six-game road trip.
As coach Paul Maurice pointed out every game on the trip has meaning when it comes to the playoffs — or postseason seeding.
And, as every hockey fan knows, playing on a Saturday night in Montreal is not an easy task regardless of the Canadiens current standing.
Just so happens the Canadiens are right in this thing; they are a point back of Columbus for the final wild card in the east.
The Panthers are also continuing to win without key pieces in their lineup most notably Matthew Tkachuk and Aaron Ekblad. Brad Marchand should be a nice added addition when he joins up.
“It’s just part of our DNA at this point, just the way we play,” Bennett said. “In the playoffs, you are going to lose guys, big important guys in key moments, and others are going to have to step up. Lots of guys are stepping up right now, and that’s helping us.”
Thursday night, the Panthers got a number of outstanding individual performances.
Sam Bennett scored twice on the power play with Mackie Samoskevich assisting on both; Niko Mikkola got his first goal since Dec. 18, and Sergei Bobrovsky pulled into 10th on the NHL’s all-time win list by getting No. 424.
Seth Jones (game-high 27:57), Carter Verhaeghe, Nico Sturm, and Sam Reinhart also had fantastic games for Florida.
“We don’t the same with those guys out,” Maurice said, referring to Tkachuk and Ekblad. “But we play the same, so hopefully you have the same effect. We’re just not as heavy a team, and that’s fine, because we can still check. Matthew is irreplaceable on your power play, but Sam Bennett is pretty darned good there in finding those holes.”
Bobrovsky, who has started six of the past seven since the Panthers started working on trading Spencer Knight for Jones, got his 166th career win coming off a loss.
That makes him one of 11 goaltenders in NHL history with at least 160 career victories after a defeat.
After giving up a breakaway to Max Domi which made it 3-2 early in the third, Maurice said he saw his goalie go into full Bob Mode.
“At 3-1, he’s not going to like the 3-2 goal,” Maurice said. “And you’re thinking, you’re going to have a hard time beating him now. Because he is angry in net. He totally fits our team.”
ON DECK: GAME No. 67
FLORIDA PANTHERS at MONTREAL CANADIENS
- When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
- Where: Bell Centre, Montreal
- 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 1-0) — At Montreal: Saturday; Ap. 1. At Florida: Canadiens 4, Panthers 0 (Dec. 28); March 30.
- All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 58-40-11, 6 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
