Panthers Sweep Predators

    The Florida Panthers played the second game of a doubleheader on Monday night and beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in overtime at BB&T Center. The Cats won the first game earlier in the day with a 6-3 comeback victory.
    Both teams combined for two goals during a 13-second span in the first period. Nashville scored first as Craig Smith got on the scoreboard with assists from Taylor Beck and Mike Fisher at 12:57. The Panthers tied it at 1-1 as Jared Gomes intercepted a pass in the slot, spun around and put in a backhand shot for an unassisted goal at 13:10.
    The Predators retook the lead 2-1 at 11:30 of the second period as Gabriel Bourque scored with  assists from David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist.
    In the third period, the Cats evened the game at 2-2 with 9:49 left in the third period. Tomas Kopecky put in a tally on the power play and got assists from rookie Aleksander Barkov and MacKenzie Weegar.
    The game was decided with 46.2 to go in overtime as Tomas Fleischmann blasted a shot from the slot area for the game-winning goal. Brett Clark and Kopecky were able to add the assists on the play.
    Jacob Markstrom started for Florida in net, played in the first two periods and stopped 15 of 17 shots. Michael Houser captured the win as he held Nashville to no goals on 13 shots in the third period and overtime. Predators goalie Carter Hutton took the loss as he played the entire game for the Preds and allowed three goals on 27 shots. The Cats were 1-for-6 on the power play while Nashville finished 0-for-4.