Panthers Come Back On Ducks

     The Florida Panthers began a stretch of nine of ten games at home with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Anaheim Ducks at FLA Live Arena on Monday. Going into today, the Panthers will play 15 of their remaining 23 regular season games at home. The Ducks entered the contest with a league-worst 40 points so far this season. 

     Eric Staal and Marc Staal became the second sets of brothers to score for the Florida Panthers in a game. Pavel Bure and Valeri Bure accomplished it on February 13, 2002 at the Chicago Blackhawks. It was the 15th time that two Staal brothers scored in the same NHL contest. 

     Anaheim(17-33-7) waited until 7:14 left in the first period to go up 1-0. Dmitry Kulikov centered the puck from behind the cage. Mason McTavish scored on his rebound shot from the crease area for his 13th goal of the season. Max Jones was credited with the secondary assist on the play. 

     The Ducks expanded it to 2-0 on the power play with 4:40 remaining in the first. John Klingberg pushed a cross-ice pass and Kevin Shattenkirk fired a shot from the right circle wide right of the net. Former Panthers player Frank Vatrano put in a one-time slap shot from the low left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 15th goal of the campaign. 

     Florida(29-25-6) closed it to 2-1 at the 2:12 mark of the second period. Radko Gudas released a snap shot from the right point and Eric Staal deflected it in from the top of the crease past John Gibson for his 11th goal this season. 

     The Panthers tied it up 2-2 with 2:37 left in the period. Eetu Luostarinen made a pass from the right point to the middle. Marc Staal had a give-and-go pass play with Matthew Tkachuk and then snapped a shot from the low slot for his second goal of the year. 

     In the third period, Anaheim took a 3-2 lead with 7:09 remaining. Kulikov angled a pass from the top of the zone to Klingberg on the left wing. He returned it and Kulikov scored on a snap shot from the high slot for his third tally this year. 

     The Cats rallied back with 5:51 to go and tied it 3-3. Nick Cousins sent the puck from the top of the zone to the right circle. Gustav Forsling powered a slap shot that was redirected in by Ryan Lomberg in the crease area for his eighth goal. 

     Florida wrapped up the contest at the 1:42 mark of overtime. Luostarinen forwarded a long lead pass from his own blue line. Carter Verhaeghe went on a breakaway and scored his 30th goal of the season on a forehand shot.