Panthers hand Blues first loss of season
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Rookie defenseman Ian McCoshen scored his first NHL goal as the Florida Panthers routed the previously undefeated St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Thursday night at the BB&T Center.
The Blues were 4-0-0 for the second time in franchise history but were playing their third road game in four nights.
The Panthers (2-1-0), who hadn't played since Saturday, got a solid effort from goalie Roberto Luongo. He made 37 saves to pick up his first win of the season. Vincent Trocheck scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, and Jared McCann, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and Nick Bjugstad also tallied for Florida.
Ekblad, Bjugstad and McCann added assists.
St. Louis scored first when Paul Stastny recorded a wrap-around goal on the power play at 1:14 of the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo earned assists.
It was the third straight game in which Florida's opponent scored first. However, the Panthers tied the score 12 seconds later on McCoshen's goal from the top of the left circle. Connor Brickley and Bjugstad picked up assists.
Trocheck scored a breakaway short-handed goal 1:19 later.
Florida capped a wild second period with McCann's redirection goal, which came off a pass from Radim Vrbata at 7:42.
With 3:16 expired in the third period, Ekblad scored on a one-timer off a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.
Florida made it 5-1 at 14:02 on Bjugstad's breakaway goal. Brickley and McCann earneds assist.
St. Louis' Vince Dunn scored his first career goal with 1:09 remaining.
Jake Allen made 33 saves for the Blues.
NOTES: Panthers G Roberto Luongo made his 2017-18 home debut. ... For the Blues, D Jay Bouwmeester (left ankle), LW Alexander Steen (left hand), C Patrik Berglund (shoulder surgery), LW Robby Fabbri (knee surgery) and LW Zach Sanford (shoulder surgery) are all out. Bouwmeester could return in one week. Steen might be back by the end of the month. Berglund could return in December, and Sanford needs months of rehab. Fabbri is out for the year. ... Florida signed D Mike Matheson to an eight-year, $39 million extension. ... Florida had the same healthy scratches for the third game in a row: C Denis Malgin, D Mackenzie Weegar and C Owen Tippett. ... The Blues scratched C Wade Megan, D Nate Prosser and C Tage Thompson.