Monday, February 3, 2020

Mark Pysyk Hat Trick And Panthers Top Maple Leafs

     Mark Pysyk got his first career hat trick as the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 at Scotiabank Arena on Monday night. Florida, who overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period, leaped over Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division and a potential Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Panthers have won seven of their last eight games. 
     Florida(29-17-5) got the only tally of the first period. Mike Matheson carried the puck through the right circle to the goal line and backhanded a pass to the middle. Pysyk followed with a one-time shot from the low slot past Frederik Andersen with 9:30 left in the frame.
     In the second period, Toronto(28-18-7) got a power-play goal at the 3:21 mark. John Tavares scored his 19th goal of the season with a deflection by Sergei Bobrovsky. Assists were credited to Mitchell Marner and Tyson Barrie.
     The Maple Leafs pulled ahead 2-1 with 54.8 seconds remaining in the second. Kasperi Kapanen skated above the top right circle and made a snap pass from the right wing. It was redirected by William Nylander at the top of the crease.
     Both clubs found the net several times early in the third period. The Maple Leafs struck 38 seconds in for a two-goal lead. Auston Matthews chalked up his 37th goal of the season on assists from Zach Hyman and Marner.
     The Panthers put in two goals in less than a minute. Matheson released a wrist shot from the left point that was saved by Michael Hutchinson, but Pysyk snapped a forehand shot from the crease area on a feed at 2:20.
     The Cats added a power-play goal at the 3:18 mark to move ahead 3-2. Keith Yandle passed the puck from the top of the zone to Mike Hoffman. His angled pass from right circle glanced off the stick of Evgenii Dadonov and was tapped in by Jonathan Huberdeau on the edge of the blue paint for his 19th goal of the campaign. Hoffman compiled a point in 11 of his last 12 games.
     It became a 4-3 lead for Florida with 9:47 to go in the third period. A Matheson pass from the left point went across to Aaron Ekblad on the right point. His slap shot banked off the end wall to Hoffman to the left of the Leafs cage. He backhanded a shot from the goal line for his 19th goal.
     Toronto pulled the goalie for an extra attacker in the final minute of the contest. Pysyk stole the puck from Marner at the Maple Leafs blue line, was tripped in the high slot and still smacked in the puck from the low slot while on his knees with 47.4 seconds left. 

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