Panthers Outlast Habs

It was a Sunday matinee game at the Bank Atlantic Center as the Florida Panthers beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. The Habs entered the game last in the Eastern Conference with 58 points while the Cats led the Southeast Division with 68 points. Following two penalties by both teams within four seconds of each other, Montreal scored on a four-on-four situation at 4:27 of the first period. Eric Cole put a heavy check on Tomas Kopecky that knocked his helmet off his head in the Panthers zone for the takeaway and then took a shot from the right circle. David Desharnais got the rebound in the front of crease where his initial shot was saved, however he backhanded the rebound by Clemmensen for the lead. Florida was called for two minor penalties at 6:23 as Tomas Kopecky went off for hooking and Kris Versteeg for tripping. The Canadiens took advantage on the five-on-three power play as P.K. Subban held up shooting from the top left circle and fired from the top of the slot to make it 2-0 at 6:55. Florida were out shot 8-0 until they finally got their first shot of the game at 9:50. Stephen Weiss, who had pregame ceremony to honor him prior to the game for setting the Panthers all-time record for most games played in franchise history, pulled Florida within one goal when he scored at 11:36. He won a face-off in the left circle, Keaton Ellerby walked the puck across the top of zone, then placed a shot on net and Weiss put in the loose rebound from up close. Florida began the second period on a two-minute power play. The team made the most of it at 1:09 as Sean Bergenheim steaked down the left side, after a pass by Mikael Samuelsson from the Panthers zone, and let go a wrist shot from the low left circle by Peter Budaj. Florida took their first lead of the game 3-2 as Weiss poked in the rebound from a Samuelsson shot from the right circle at 4:01. The Cats had a 22-4 run in shots on goal for over 27 minutes until 16:49 of the second period. Brian Campbell extended Florida's lead to 4-2 with a slap shot from the top of the zone at 9:52 following a feed from Weiss from the right-wing boards. Stephen Weiss had two goals and one assist for the victorious Panthers while Sean Bergenheim added one goal and two assists. Florida continued to lead the division as they travel to Toronto and Winnipeg later this week.