Panthers Drop Leafs

     The Florida Panthers extended their win streak to four games as they beat their new divisional foe the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. The Cats, who have not had four consecutive victories any time during the last two NHL seasons since March 2011, closed to within six points of the Leafs for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. In addition, the Panthers have been victorious in six of their last seven games.    
     Tomas Fleischmann raced in down the left side and snapped a shot from the left circle by James Reimer at 3:29 in the first period for Florida(13-7-5). It was his first goal in six games and second goal in the last 21 games. Panther rookies Aleksander Barkov and Dylan Olsen got assists on that play.
     The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 at 5:54 of the second period. Dmitry Kulikov was at the blue line and passed to Barkov in the left circle. His shot was saved and Sean Bergenheim put in the rebound at the doorstep of the crease with a backhand shot.
     Brad Boyes would score his first goal in 12 games with an unassisted goal with 3:10 left in the second. Dion Phaneuf gave away the puck in his own end, Boyes streaked through the left circle and scored on a second-chance shot from the crease area.
     In the third period, Toronto(17-16-3) attempted to climb back from the three-goal deficit as Mason Raymond scored his 11th goal of the year at 3:43 with an assist from Peter Holland.