Panthers win 13th straight, top Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Montour scored 2:26 into time beyond regulation and the NHL-leading Florida Panthers prolonged their successful streak to a franchise-record 13 video games by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night time.
The successful streak matches the seventh-longest in NHL historical past and is the league’s longest since Columbus received 16 consecutive video games within the 2016-17 season. The victory additionally marked Florida interim coach Andrew Brunette’s fiftieth in simply 71 video games behind the Panthers’ bench.
Claude Giroux had a objective and two assists for Florida, whereas Aleksander Barkov had a objective and an help and Mason Marchment had two assists. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 34 pictures.
“We go into video games with a variety of confidence,” Giroux mentioned. “I really feel after every win, we are saying we are able to play higher. The whole lot goes nice proper now. We’re getting some bounces, making performs and having enjoyable. We simply should hold going.”
Justin Holl and Mitch Marner had targets for Toronto. Jack Campbell completed with 32 saves.
“I assumed the fellows got here out, performed arduous, overcame a variety of adversity,” Campbell mentioned. “You clearly need to come away with two factors, however it’s what it’s. Simply pleased with the trouble from the fellows.”
The Maple Leafs once more held an early lead on the Panthers however failed to carry onto it. On April 5 of their final go to, Toronto led Florida 5-1 within the second interval however ended up dropping 7-6 in time beyond regulation. Saturday night time, the Panthers fell behind 2-0 after the primary interval however had been capable of come again.
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“I assumed our guys performed arduous tonight. We simply might have received the sport,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned. “I assumed we received the primary and third interval. Towards this workforce, you’ve acquired to attain greater than two. That’s what they’ve been doing all season, they discover methods to win. … I assumed we did greater than sufficient to win.”
Marner scored his thirty fifth objective of the season on Toronto’s first shot of the night time at 3:25 of the primary interval.
With 2:40 remaining, Holl banked a shot off Florida defenseman Radko Gudas which acquired previous Bobrovsky to make it 2-0.
Florida got here again and tied the rating heading into the third. Barkov acquired the Panthers on the board together with his thirty ninth at 6:26 of the second.
Later within the interval, Giroux picked up his third objective with the Panthers since coming over in a blockbuster commerce on the deadline.
That arrange an intense third interval during which each Bobrovsky and Campbell had been sharp all through. Bobrovsky made 12 saves within the third, Campbell 9.
“Bob was nice, he’s the rationale we had been the place we had been,” Brunette mentioned. “We pushed again within the second a bit of bit, however Bob stored us in. It was hockey recreation between two good groups and it took time beyond regulation to determine it.”
Florida’s Jonathan Huberdeau had one help placing him two factors behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the league lead. McDavid is at 116 for the season and the Oilers subsequent play Sunday at Columbus.
PRESIDENTS’ RACE
Florida moved 4 factors forward of idle Colorado (116) within the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, given to the workforce with the perfect common season file. Each have 4 video games remaining. Florida hosts Tampa Bay on Sunday after which ends the common season with a three-game journey to Boston (Tuesday), Ottawa (Thursday) and Montreal (Friday). Colorado visits Winnipeg on Sunday, then hosts St. Louis on Tuesday and Nashville on Thursday earlier than ending at Minnesota on Friday.
NOTES: The Maple Leafs welcomed star heart Auston Matthews again to the lineup after he missed three video games with an undisclosed harm. He remained on a league-leading 58 targets after going scoreless on seven pictures Saturday. … Toronto rookie ahead Michael Bunting left the sport with 12:01 left within the first and didn’t return. Bunting solely performed 4 shifts and can “miss a while for positive,” Keefe mentioned. … Toronto and Florida have already set membership information for factors in a season. The Maple Leafs’ earlier finest was 105 in 2017-18; the Panthers’ was 103 in 2015-16. … Florida went 2-1-0 in opposition to Toronto this season. … The Panthers are on tempo to eclipse 600,000 in whole dwelling attendance Sunday night time of their common season dwelling finale. It’ll mark the primary time Florida has hit that quantity since 2015-16. … Florida is simply the fourth workforce in NHL historical past to have separate successful streaks of 12 and eight video games in the identical season, and the primary because the 1970-71 Boston Bruins.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At Washington on Sunday.
Panthers: Host Tampa Bay on Sunday.
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