Panthers 5, Lightning 2
SUNRISE, Fla. -- In a game between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division, center Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist as the first-place Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Saturday at the BB&T Center.
Florida (28-15-5) completed a thrilling weekend in which they went 2-0, outscoring the 2015 Stanley Cup finalists -- the Chicago Blackhawks and the Lightning -- by a combined 9-2.
The Panthers got four second-period goals -- from Huberdeau, center Nick Bjugstad, right winger Reilly Smith and center Vincent Trocheck. Defenseman Brian Campbell got an empty-net goal with 4:08 left.
Bjugstad's goal came on the power play -- but barely. There was only one second left on the man advantage when he scored, but it still broke Florida's 0-for-28 drought on the power play since getting its last goal on Jan. 2.
Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo fell just short of his second straight shutout, allowing a power-play goal by defenseman Victor Hedman with 14:21 left in the third period. That broke Luongo's streak of 127:09 without allowing a goal.
Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov got an assist on the goal, extending his points streak to eight games.
Lightning right winger J.T. Brown added a goal with 1:29 left to make it 5-2.
Florida beat Tampa goalie Ben Bishop, who entered the game with a 7-1-1 record and a 2.04 goals against average in nine career starts against the Panthers. Bishop also ranked second in the NHL this season with a 1.94 GAA, but that was before this barrage.
Bishop lasted two periods and was pulled in favor of backup Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Tampa (26-18-4) had its seven-game win streak snapped, falling one victory short of tying a franchise record.
Huberdeau got the game's first goal, and it came with 11:10 left in the second period. Huberdeau held the puck in the slot for a couple seconds, waiting for an opening before firing high and beating Bishop to the glove side.
Following a tripping penalty on Tampa Bay center Tyler Johnson, Huberdeau threaded a perfect pass along the crease to Bjugstad, who got the easy goal.
With momentum on their side, Smith made it 3-0 when his attempted pass bounced in off Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman.
Florida's fourth goal was similarly fortuitous as Trocheck whacked at a loose puck, and it floated up and in as if escaping a sand trap.
NOTES: Florida sent D Dylan Olsen to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League and scratched C Brandon Pirri, who remains on the trading block despite having perhaps the hardest and most accurate shot on the team. ... Tampa Bay scratched RW Erik Condra and C Jonathan Marchessault. ... The Lightning reportedly are desperate to trade LW Jonathan Drouin, who has been suspended after refusing a demotion to the AHL. Drouin, 20, was the third overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft but has yet to live up to his billing. ... There are reports that injured Panthers C Dave Boland, 29, could be bought out of the final three years on his contract once this season is over. He hasn't played since Dec. 12. ... Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr, who turns 44 next month, recently dropped 16 pounds, down to 226, and his work ethic has drawn raves.