Panthers 3, Blue Jackets 2
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Center Aleksander Barkov scored twice as the Florida Panthers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 Sunday night.
The win was the Panthers' sixth straight, their longest unbeaten streak since a seven game stretch March 2-16, 2008.
Barkov's second goal at 7:23 of the third period gave the Panthers their second two-goal advantage of the game. Barkov and left winger Jonathan Huberdeau caught the Blue Jackets on a 2-on-1 break as Huberdeau's cross found Barkov, who beat Columbus goaltender Curtis McElhinney with a shot from the right circle.
Right winger Cam Atkinson scored at 11:26 for Columbus and cut Florida's lead to 3-2 midway through the third, but that was as close as the Blue jackets get.
Atkinson beat Florida goalie Roberto Luongo with a shot just outside the crease for his 11th goal of the season.
Defenseman Aaron Ekblad scored Florida's other goal in the first period and left winger Brandon Saad scored the Blue Jackets' first goal in the second period.
Luongo stopped 15 of 17 shots for the win while McElhinney stopped 29 of 32 shots.
Florida, which is now 17-3-2 when scoring first, struck quickly on Ekblad's fourth goal of the year 4:34 into the game. Ekblad retrieved right winger Riley Smith's pass and his slap shot outside the right circle eluded McElhinney on the short side.
Barkov's goal with just 18 seconds left in the first period gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Huberdeau's pass from behind the net found Barkov near the crease, where he beat McElhinney with a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season.
Outshot 19-1 in the first period, the Blue Jackets applied repeated pressure in the opening minutes of the second period with six unanswered shots on goal. The seventh shot paid off with Saad's 13th goal of the season at 7:59. Saad beat Luongo from a tight angle on the left wing that reduced Florida's lead to 2-1.
NOTES: Blue Jackets LW Nick Foligno sat out Sunday's game because of an undisclosed injury. The Columbus captain did not travel with the team during its two-game stop at Tampa Bay and Florida. ... Although reports indicate he soon could return to the lineup, Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky remains on the injured list because of a lingering groin injury. The former Vezina Trophy winner traveled with the team to Florida but has not played since sustaining the injury Dec. 9. ... Florida D Dave Bolland missed his second consecutive game because of an undisclosed injury since being recalled from AHL Portland on Dec. 21. ... C Nick Bjugstad missed his 12th consecutive game because of migraines but worked out during the team's morning skate on Sunday. ... The Panthers enjoyed a four-day stretch without games, their longest of the season.