Panthers Down Penguins

     The Pittsburgh Penguins made their only appearance in South Florida this season and fell to the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime at BB&T Center on Thursday. Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann returned to Sunrise after being traded by the Panthers to the Penguins for Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan last week.
     The Cats finished a five-game home stand and head for Washington to face the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals on Saturday night. Florida is in a stretch after the NHL All-Star Game in which they play 11 of 12 games at home.
     The Panthers thought they had a goal by Sheahan from the crease at 1:37 of the first period, however the referee whistled the play dead.
     Florida(22-22-8) scored a power-play goal at the 5:22 mark. Mike Matheson blasted a slap shot from the top of the zone that hit the back glass. It bounced to Evgenii Dadonov at the left side of the crease and he flipped a wrist shot past Casey DeSmith. Brassard was also credited with an assist on the play.
     Pittsburgh(28-19-7) waited until 6:09 left in the second period to score a shorthanded goal to tie the contest 1-1. Kris Letang sent a lead pass from his own right circle to Jared McCann at the center-ice circle. He brought the puck into the Panthers zone on a 2-on-1 breakaway and snapped a shot from the right circle by Roberto Luongo.
     The Panthers regained the lead 2-1 with 2:28 remaining in the period. Alekander Barkov fed a pass from below the left circle and Colton Sceviour lifted a wrist shot from the crease in. Barkov collected his 300th NHL point with the assist. Sheahan got the secondary assist on the tally for his first point with the Cats.
     In the third period, the Penguins evened it again with 11:43 to go. Jake Guentzel made a pass to Letang on the right wing and he cycled the puck to the left point. Marcus Pettersson rocketed a slap shot through traffic for his first goal of the year. He now has one goal and three assists in three games this season against the Panthers.
     Florida was able to get the victory with 45.6 seconds left in overtime. Barkov connected a pass to Jonathan Huberdeau in the left circle. He then dropped the puck to Matheson and he put in a snap shot from the high slot area.