Barkov Hat Trick And Panthers Defeat Canadiens

     Alekander Barkov scored a hat trick as the Florida Panthers beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Sunday night at BB&T Center. It was the second time that he had a hat trick broadcast nationally on Canadian television this season. Barkov scored three goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs back on December 15.
     The Panthers are now 11 points behind the Habs for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Cats have won four of their last six games while the Canadiens are winless in their last four games.
     Florida(25-24-8) scored on their first power-play attempt to go up 1-0 at 3:59. Keith Yandle sent the puck from the top of the zone to Mike Hoffman on the right point and he returned it. Yandle smashed a slapshot that was saved by Antti Niemi, however Barkov pounced and poked in the rebound from the edge of the blue paint for his 20th goal of the season. It is the fourth consecutive time that Barkov has scored at least 20 goals in a season.
     The Panthers increased their margin to 2-0 at the 11:28 mark. Derick Brassard connected a pass toward the center circle to Denis Malgin. He skated past the Canadiens blue line and released a rising wrist shot from the high slot.
     Montreal(31-21-7) cut the deficit to 2-1 with 6:56 remaining. Hoffman lost the puck at the top of his own zone to Tomas Tatar. He left-angled a pass to Max Domi in the slot area and he scored a forehand shot by the blocker of James Reimer. The 18th goal of the season for Domi tied a career-high for him that he set in his rookie season with Arizona in 2015-16.
     The Cats made it a two-goal gap with 6:03 to go. Frank Vatrano snapped in a shot from the high slot for his 20th goal of the campaign. Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau were credited with assists on the play. Carey Price replaced Niemi in net after he surrendered three goals on nine shots.
     The Habs closed it to 3-2 with 3:14 left in the first. Brendan Gallagher stole the puck from Mike Matheson at the red line, skated to the right circle and ripped in a slapshot for his 23rd tally.
     The Canadiens finally tied the contest at 5:18 of the second period. Domi dropped a pass at the right point to Mike Reilly. He sent the puck diagonally to the middle and Domi redirected it into the Panthers cage from the low slot.
     Florida moved ahead 4-3 with 2:11 remaining on a spectacular goal by Barkov. Aaron Ekblad sent a long lead pass to Barkov at the Habs blue line for a breakaway. He skated in, dropped the puck behind his two legs and flipped a forehand shot over the right shoulder of Price. It turned out to be Barkov's 24th game-winning goal which surpassed Pavel Bure for second all-time in Panthers franchise history.
     In the third period, the Panthers expanded their margin to 5-3 at the 9:13 mark. Barkov was on a 2-on-1 breakaway into the Montreal zone. He tried to connect a pass across the slot which bounced off a defender and back to him for a wrist shot from the low right circle. It was his third goal of the game and 22nd goal of the season.
     Montreal pulled Price from the goal for an extra attacker with 3:10 to go. It did not work as Riley Sheahan scored his first goal as a Florida Panther on a feed from Evgenii Dadonov with 2:25 remaining.