Panthers Jump Bruins

     Roberto Luongo made his return and compiled his 77th career shutout as the Florida Panthers hammered the Boston Bruins 5-0 on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. Luongo is now ninth all-time in NHL history with victories. It was the sixth game of an eight-game home stand for the Panthers.
     After a scoreless first, Florida(11-10-5) took the lead in the second period at 4:21. Colton Sceviour made a wrist shot that Jaroslav Halak saved and the puck laid inside the blue paint. Mike Hoffman came racing in through the crease and poked it into the Bruins cage. It was the 13rd goal for Hoffman this season which leads the club.
     The Panthers increased their lead to 2-0 with 6:47 left in the second. Mike Matheson skated the puck down the right side of the neutral zone. He squeezed by Torey Krug at the Bruins blue line, skated to the right circle and scored on a snap shot.
     The Cats made it a three-goal margin on a 4-on-4 situation with 4:46 remaining. Keith Yandle fed a cross-ice pass from the right point to Jonathan Huberdeau on the top left circle. His wrist shot squeaked between the legs of Halak for the tally. Aleksander Barkov was credited with an assist on the play.
     Florida capped the second period on a power-play goal with just 3.7 seconds to go for a 4-0 lead. Barkov made a pass from the top of the zone to the right wing and Hoffman smacked in a slapshot.
     In the third period, Boston(14-9-4) surrendered a goal on the Panthers power play. Barkov got the puck to the right of the net, went around and backhanded a centering pass. Evgenii Dadonov put in a one-time shot from the crease. It was the 5,000th NHL goal in Florida Panthers history.