Blue Jackets Sting Panthers

     The Florida Panthers lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at Nationwide Arena on Sunday night. It was the Panthers only road contest in an eight-game stretch. 

     Florida(9-8-2) roared out to a 1-0 advantage at the 7:52 mark of the first period. Gustav Forsling blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point and Matthew Tkachuk redirected it from the top of the crease past Daniil Tarasov for his eighth goal of the season. It was the first time that the Cats had led in the last three games. 

     Columbus(7-10-1) tied it up 1-1 on their third shot of the game with 8:39 remaining in the first. Yegor Chinakhov intercepted a cross-ice pass at the Blue Jackets blue line and went on a breakaway. He skated through the middle of the ice and snapped a shot from the slot area by Sergei Bobrovsky for his third tally of the year.  

     In the second period, the Blue Jackets made it 2-1 at 2:53 on the power play. Kent Johnson sent a wrist shot from the right circle and it was deflected in by Boone Jenner at the right of the crease for his eighth goal this season. Johnny Gaudreau was credited with the second assist on the play. 

     The Panthers evened it 2-2 with 3:22 remaining in the second. Forsling followed his own shot from close range, carried it from behind the cage to the top of the zone and angled a pass to the left wing. Aaron Ekblad moved in with it into the crease area and scored on a forehand shot for his second goal this year. 

     The Blue Jackets added a shorthanded goal at the 1:57 mark of the third period to go up 3-2. Sean Kuraly found the net for the sixth time during the 2022-23 campaign. 

     Columbus expanded their lead to 4-2 at 7:55 of the frame. Gustav Nyquist carried the puck to the left wing and centered it. Gaudreau released a snap shot from the inner left circle for his seventh goal this season. 

     It became a three-goal margin again for the Blue Jackets with 1:49 to go. Gaudreau placed a wrist shot from the above the right circle and Jenner tapped it in from the blue paint with the man advantage for his second goal of the contest. 

     The Cats cut it to 5-3 with 51.1 seconds left in the third. Josh Mahura passed to Nick Cousins near the top left circle. His shot was saved but Colin White backhanded in the rebound from the top of the crease.