Panthers Rout Maple Leafs

     The Florida Panthers finished a four-game homestand with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. The Panthers won their third straight game and 15 of their last 19 games. This was the last game to be played by the Cats prior to the All-Star Game break.
     In the first period, Toronto(17-21-9) did not have a shot on goal for the first 13 minutes of the contest. They did get the only tally of the frame when Nazem Kadri streaked into the Panthers zone through the right circle, faked a shot, went around Roberto Luongo in the crease area and scored on a forehand shot with 2:25 left for his 10th goal of the season.
     Florida(29-15-5) tied the game on their second power play at 3:49 of the second period. Brian Campbell had the puck in the middle of the neutral zone and threaded a pass ahead to Aleksander Barkov at the Maple Leafs blue line. He skated through the slot area, faked a forehand shot and lifted a backhand shot by James Reimer for his 13rd goal of the campaign.
     The Panthers added another power-play goal at 7:40 to take their first lead of the game 2-1. Vincent Trocheck entered the offensive zone and passed off to Jussi Jokinen on the left wing. Jokinen returned a cross-ice pass to Trocheck in the crease area and he redirected it into the Toronto cage.
     The Cats made it 3-1 with 5:47 remaining in the second. Reilly Smith had a 2-on-1 breakaway on the left wing and passed across to Jokinen who connected with a one-time shot from the right circle.
     Florida scored a fourth unanswered goal and extended their margin at 3:52 of the third period. Erik Gudbranson fired a slapshot from the right point which was blocked by traffic in the slot area. It bounced to Smith in the low slot and he snapped in a shot from close range for his team-high 16th goal of the season.
     Alex Petrovic followed with his first NHL goal at 7:43 which was unassisted. He got the loose puck on the right point and sailed a shot that went between the pads of Reimer.