Panthers Banish Oilers

     The Florida Panthers blanked the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 at Rogers Place on Thursday night. It was a rematch between the two teams that have faced each other in the last two Stanley Cup Finals. The Panthers will conclude their four-game road trip tomorrow at the Calgary Flames. 

     Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky chalked up his 53rd career NHL shutout along with his fourth shutout of the season. He tied Curtis Joseph for eighth all-time in goalie wins with 454. 

     Florida(34-31-3) took a 1-0 lead with 8:48 remaining in the first period. Mike Benning zipped a long lead pass from his own zone. Cole Reinhardt carried the puck into the Oilers zone and through the inner left circle. He placed in a forehand shot from the blue paint by Connor Ingram for his first goal in a Panthers uniform. 

     The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 with 58 seconds left in the first. Evan Rodrigues angled a pass from the right wing. Benning shot the puck from the top of the zone and A.J. Greer deflected in a shot from the low slot for his 12th tally this year. 

     In the second period, the Cats make it 3-0 on the power play with 5:39 to go. Rodrigues kicked the puck in the crease area and Sam Bennett slid it across. Anton Lundell collected his 18th goal this season on a wrist shot from the low slot. 

     Edmonton(34-27-9) surrendered another goal with 4:37 remaining in the final period and trailed 4-0. Bennett won the faceoff in the left circle and Matthew Tkachuk centered the puck from the left wing. 

Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the top left circle for his 20th goal of the campaign. It was the fifth consecutive season that Verhaeghe reached the 20-goal plateau.