Panthers Plunge Maple Leafs

     The Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night. Both teams have battled it out all season for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers, who increased their Atlantic Division lead to four points, began a stretch of three road games in four days. 

     Toronto(39-23-3) drew first blood to go up 1-0 at 2:00 of the first period. William Nylander sent a diagonal pass from the top left circle and John Tavares one-timed a slap shot from the low right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 27th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(41-22-3) evened it up 1-1 on the power play with 2:09 remaining in the first. Sam Bennett collected 21st goal as he tapped it in from the blue paint. Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Reinhart were credited with assists on the play. 

     In the second period, the Panthers pulled ahead 2-1 with 6:04 left. A.J. Greer angled a pass from the left corner. Niko Mikkola released a wrist shot from the high slot by Anthony Stolarz for his fifth tally of the year. 

     The Cats expanded their lead to 3-1 on another power-play goal with 2:47 to go in the second. Samoskevich pushed the puck from the left wing. Reinhart centered it from the end wall and Bennett put in a wrist shot from the top of the crease. 

     The Maple Leafs closed it to 3-2 at the 4:26 mark of the third period. Former Panther Oliver Ekman-Larsson zipped an outlet pass out of the Leafs zone and Calle Jarnkrok made a square pass at the red line. 

Max Domi carried the puck into the Florida zone and snapped a shot from the high slot for his fifth goal this season. Domi had one goal in his last 31 contests going into tonight.