Panthers In First Place Top Blue Jackets

     The Florida Panthers moved into first place in the Atlantic Division and stretched their winning streak to six games as they stopped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 on Sunday night at BB&T Center. The Panthers, who have won seven of their last eight and 12 of their last 15 games, last had a six-game winning streak in March 2008. The last time the Cats were in first place this late in the regular season was in 2011-12 when they eventually captured the Southeast Division.
     Florida(20-12-4) jumped up in front at 4:34 of the first period. Reilly Smith hit the left post on a snap shot from the left-circle dot. It sailed back to Aaron Eklad on the right point and he fired a high slap shot which went over the left shoulder of Curtis McElhinney.
     The Panthers their margin to 2-0 with 17.7 seconds remaining. Aleksander Barkov won a face-off in the right circle and drew it back to Jonathan huberdeau. He skated the puck around the right circle then backhanded a pass to the low slot and Barkov scored on a one-timer.
     Columbus(13-22-3) did not get their first shot on net until 10:05 on the first. It would be their only shot in the frame as they were outshot 19-1. It was a season-low that the Cats gave up in a period this season. They allowed two shot by the New York Islanders in Brooklyn on December 15.
     In the second period, the Blue Jackets compiled the first six shots of the stanza. It paid off as Brandon Saad scored from an acute angle from the left corner to close the gap to 2-1. His initial shot from the slot area went wide and off the end glass. He followed the puck into the corner and placed a shot on goal that slipped behind Roberto Luongo.
     Florida regained a two-goal gap on a turnover at center ice at 7:23 of the third period to make it 3-1. Barkov picked up the loose puck in the neutral zone, carried it into the Blue Jackets zone and passed off to Huberdeau at the high slot. He returned the puck to Barkov in the right circle and he shot it into a wide open net for his second goal of the contest.
     The Blue Jackets would score on their fourth power-play attempt with 8:34 left in the third. Ryan Murray guided a shot from the top right circle which glazed off the stick of Alexander Wennberg at the top of the crease. Cam Atkinson followed up and scored from close range.