The Florida Panthers returned home and beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Thursday night at BB&T Center. It was the first game of a six-game stretch for the Cats against Western Conference opponents. The Kings dropped their road record this season to 5-12-6.
It took until halfway through the first period before Florida(23-17-10) scored. The Panthers got a 2-on-1 breakaway when Matt Greene pinched up into the neutral zone. Brad Boyes backhanded a cross-ice pass from the left circle and Barkov put in a one-time slapshot from the right circle underneath the left glove of Jonathan Quick at 10:39. He collected his ninth point in the last ten games.
Jamie McBain compiled his 100th career point on a goal from the top right circle for Los Angeles(21-18-12) to tie the game. His slapshot went through a screen in front, over the right shoulder of Roberto Luongo, off the left post and in at 15:48. Dustin Brown fed him with a cross-ice pass from the left wing.
In the third period, the Kings scored eight seconds into their second power play of game at 2:19. Anze Kopitar won the left circle face-off and drew the puck back to Jake Muzzin at the left point. His shot was saved by Luongo, Kopitar dropped the rebound back to the edge of the left circle and Marian Gaborik blasted home a slapshot for his 16th goal and a Kings 2-1 lead.
The Panthers pounced on a cross-ice backhand giveaway by Muzzin at his own blue line. Nick Bjugstad picked up the puck, skated through the slot area and scored his 17th goal of the season at 7:26.
Florida got the game-winning goal with 3:05 left in the third. Tomas Fleischmann carried the puck down the left wing and left it at the left-circle dot where Brandon Pirri put in a tally for the victory.
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