Panthers Blank Canes

The Florida Panthers began a four-game homestand at the Bank Atlantic Center on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Jose Theodore got his 33rd career shutout for a Florida 2-0 victory. Florida took the action to Carolina in the first 13 minutes of the first period as they outshot them 11-2. Neither team scored in the first period. Things changed in the second period at 4:22. Stephen Weiss made a drop pass as they crossed the Carolina line to Tomas Fleischman who ripped a wrist shot from the top left circle by Cam Ward to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. With three minutes remaining in the third, a Florida goal was reversed. Weiss fired a shot from the low slot that was initially saved by Ward, Jerred Smithson was on the doorstop to put in but replays showed it was not a legal goal. Marcel Goc put in an open-net goal from the red line with 1:32 left for his eighth goal of the season. The Panthers still hold a one-point lead over the Washington Capitals in the Southeast Division and will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.