Devils Can Not Hold Panthers

     The Florida Panthers topped the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in overtime at BB&T Center on Monday night. The Panthers have won the past six games between both clubs held in Sunrise.
     After a scoreless first period, New Jersey(9-10-4) took a 1-0 lead 1:23 into the second. Egor Yakovlev sent the puck from the left point across the blue line to Sami Vatanen on the right point. His slapshot was redirected by Miles Wood in the low slot past James Reimer for his second goal of the year.
     The Devils extended their margin to two goals when they scored a shorthanded goal. Aleksander Barkov lost track of the puck in the neutral zone and Blake Coleman picked it up. He skated alone on a breakaway through the slot and released a forehand shot for the tally at 6:01.
     Florida(9-9-4) was able to convert on a 5-on-3 power play at the 7:31 mark to cut the deficit to 2-1. Jonathan Huberdeau pushed the puck from the left wing around the left-corner boards. Evgenni Dadonov backhanded a pass from the end wall to the front and Alekander Barkov snapped a shot from the slot by Keith Kinkaid.
    The Panthers tied the contest with 8:17 left in the second period. MacKenzie Weegar caught a puck and brought in down at the red line. He moved it into the Devils zone and passed it to Jared McCann. He carried it to the high slot and scored on a wrist shot.
     In the third period, New Jersey got the go-ahead goal with 8:33 remaining. Vatanen fired a snap shot from the right point that was deflected in by Jesper Bratt from the crease for his second goal of the season.
     The Cats added an extra attacker in the last two minutes and it paid off. Huberdeau tied it 3-3 with 1:29 to go on a shot from the right circle following a Barkov shot from the right wing that was blocked. It was the fifth goal of the campaign and 100th NHL goal for Huberdeau.
     Mike Hoffman hit the left post on a snap shot from the right circle with 3:57 left in overtime. He still scored from the right-circle dot with 3:32 to go and won the game.