Florida Panthers Having a Blast During 9-Game Winning Streak

SUNRISE — The 80s music has been turned up louder and played longer following Florida Panthers games lately, as this nine-game winning streak has put them in a good mood.

The Panthers are having a time these days, and, not having lost in three weeks, why not?

Florida is on the third-longest winning streak in franchise history as they go for No. 10 against the visiting New Jersey Devils tonight. 

The Panthers have won these nine games in various ways, although nothing like Thursday night.

Down 2-1 late to the Los Angeles Kings, Matthew Tkachuk deflected a Carter Verhaeghe shot to tie the score and send it to overtime.

Just as it looked like the game would end 2-2 and be decided in a shootout, Sam Reinhart backhanded a shot past Cam Talbot with 0.7 seconds left in OT — the latest game-winning goal scored in franchise history.

When things are going good, hey, they are going real good. 

“It’s going well for us; we’re really in the moment and taking it day by day,” Reinhart said, music blaring in the nearby weight room. 

“This is a lot of fun. It’s nice to be back home, it feels like we haven’t been here for two months.”

During this streak, which started December 23 against the visiting Golden Knights, Florida has beaten Vegas twice, Tampa Bay, the Rangers, Montreal, Arizona, Colorado, St. Louis, and Los Angeles. 

The Panthers are outscoring their opponents 39-17 and have pulled to within a point of Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division. 

If Florida was to extend its streak to 10 by beating the Devils tonight and the Bruins were to lose in regulation in St. Louis, the Panthers would take over first place in the division — and coach Paul Maurice would join Reinhart in Toronto for All-Star Weekend.

Panthers Flying Into the Second Half of Season

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky could also be in Toronto, as the rest of the All-Star selections will be announced today. 

Everyone is having a good time these days. 

“We have won nine in a row, so I guess the only thing on our mind is to make it 10 on Saturday, but do it playing the right way,” Tkachuk said.

Having fun, Matthew Tkachuk?

“Yeah, this streak has been awesome. It really has,” he said. “I just feel like we keep getting better throughout it. It has been a few weeks … when you win, you come to the rink in a good mood. Especially with the way we have been playing.”

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ON DECK

NEW JERSEY DEVILS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise 
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM 2;WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Season Series (Florida leads 1-0) — At New Jersey: Panthers 4, Devils 3 (October 16); March 15. At Florida:Saturday.
• Last Season: Florida won 2-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Devils lead 57-36-7, 7 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday vs. Anaheim, 1 p.m.