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April 7, 2026
Panthers canadiens

After getting steamrolled in a doubleheader this weekend in Pittsburgh, one figured the Florida Panthers still had some fight in them going into Tuesday’s game against the host Montreal Canadiens.

Although Florida’s season is in its run-out-the-string phase, the Canadiens actually have something to play for and can still win the Atlantic Division title in these final games.

Montreal never led Tuesday until the game was complete: A 4-3 shootout win against the Panthers.

The Panthers never trailed Tuesday, and had a late lead before Nick Suzuki tied the score with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation.


Montreal has won eight straight against the Panthers and is currently in a three-way tie with Tampa Bay and Buffalo for first in the division.

Daniil Tarasov had a terrific start and had made 12 saves in the third period before he came out to play the puck on Montreal’s final charge and left the net wide open for Suzuki from the slot.

The Panthers took the initial lead midway through the first when Carter Verhaeghe uncorked a beaut of a shot off a meaty Donovan Sebrango rebound.

Tied at 1 early in the second, Florida took a lead into the third when Cole Reinhardt scored his second goal in 11 games with the Panthers after being claimed off waivers from Vegas.

Florida took a 3-2 lead in the third when Eetu Luostarinen deflected home a point shot from Gus Forsling.

Tarasov has basically been handed the keys in goal for the Panthers in this final road trip of the season and he gave a strong performance against the Canadiens, making 13 saves in the first two periods and 29 overall.

HOW THEY SCORED

  • Panthers 1, Canadiens 0 (9:23 1st): Donovan Sebrango sends a hard rebound off the pad of Jakub Dobes — and the puck goes all the way to the stick of Carter Verhaeghe waiting to one-time it from the left cirlce.
  • Canadiens 1, Panthers 1 (0:54 2nd PP): Ivan Demidov scores from the right circle off a pass from Cole Caufield.
  • Panthers 2, Canadiens 1 (13:43 2nd): Cole Reinhardt chases down a puck deep in the Montreal zone, walks in and sweeps a puck off Dobes and into the back of the net.
  • Canadiens 2, Panthers 2 (6:22 3rd DP): Phillip Danault scores off a loose puck in the slot with Dmitry Kulikov about to go to the penalty box.
  • Panthers 3, Canadiens 2 (7:49 3rd): Eetu Luostarinen gives the Panthers the lead right back, deflecting a Gus Forsling point shot from down low.
  • Canadiens 3, Panthers 3 (19:39 3rd): With Dobes on the bench, Tarasov went wide to stop Lane Hutson — only Hutson got the puck to Nick Suzuki in the slot for what was basically an empty-net goals.
  • Canadiens 4, Panthers 3 (SO): Montreal gets the win, scoring in the first two rounds of the shootout.

FHN’S 3 STARS

  • 1. Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
  • 2. Jakob Dobes, Canadiens
  • 3. Daniil Tarasov, Panthers
ON DECK: GAME No. 79
FLORIDA PANTHERS at OTTAWA SENATORS
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