Mason Marchment Hat Trick Push Panthers By Wild

     Mason Marchment picked up a hat trick as the Florida Panthers knocked off the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center. It was Marchment's first career NHL hat trick. The Panthers second contest since the NHL All-Star Game break. Sam Reinhart was able to participate in his 500th NHL game. 

     Minnesota(30-13-3) moved out to a 1-0 lead on the power play at the 7:07 mark of the first period. Kirill Kaprizov found the net for the 23rd time this season as he placed the puck by Sergei Bobrovsky. 

     Florida(34-10-5) would overtake them later on in the frame. Mason Marchment scored with 9:58 remaining and again with 7:31 left in the first. It resulted in his ninth and 10th goals of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     In the second period, the Panthers increased their lead to 3-1 at 8:38. Jonathan Huberdeau recovered the puck behind the Minnesota cage. He angled out a pass and Anthony Duclair picked up his 20th goal of the season on a snap shot from the low right circle by Cam Talbot. 

     The Cats made it 4-1 with the man advantage at the 1:41 mark of the third period. Aaron Ekblad compiled his 12th goal this season on assists from Duclair and Huberdeau. 

     The Wild got their second power-play goal of the game with 10:18 to go in the third. Mats Zuccarello collected his 16th goal of the year as he one-timed a forehand shot from the top of the crease. Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek were credited with assists on the play.

     Minnesota pulled their goalie for an extra skater with over seven minutes remaining in the third period. It failed as Carter Verhaeghe raced for the puck and put in a wrist shot from the left point into the empty net for his 16th goal with 6:42 left. Marchment got the hat trick on another empty-net goal with 5:27 to go.