The Florida Panthers played the fourth game of a six-game homestand and got by the New Jersey Devils 3-2 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. The Panthers have won 11 of their last 14 games and are now three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Florida(30-25-6) took a 1-0 lead at the 6:51 mark. Evgenii Dadonov stopped with the puck in the left corner. Aleksander Barkov put the puck toward the net which was saved by Cory Schneider. Nico Hischier tried to hinder Nick Bjugstad on the rebound, slid through the crease with him and bumped the puck into his own cage. Barkov was given the goal and now has a four-game point streak.
New Jersey(33-23-8) waited until 50 seconds into the second period on the power play to tie it up 1-1. Taylor Hall sent a wrist shot from the right wing that went off the stick of Alexander Petrovic and over the left shoulder of Roberto Luongo for a career-high 28th goal of the season. Hall broke a Devils record as he extended his point streak to 16 games which passed Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta. Patrick Maroon was credited with an assist for his first point with New Jersey.
In the third period, the Panthers regained the lead 2-1 at 8:38. Jared McCann flipped the puck into the right corner from the left point. It bounced off the boards and Maxim Mamin poked it from the right side of the crease past Schneider for his second career goal in the NHL.
The Cats got some added insurance with 3:34 left in the third for a two-goal margin. Dadonov carried the puck into the Devils zone and made a lead pass to Barkov in the slot. He skated to the crease and shoveled in a backhand shot.
The Devils would not go quietly as Jesper Bratt scored with 2:07 remaining to make it 3-2. Maroon sent a lead pass through the neutral zone to Bratt at the Panthers blue line. He raced through the right circle and backhanded home a high shot to snap an 18-game goalless streak.
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