Marchessault lifts Panthers past Predators
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jonathan Marchessault scored the go-ahead goal with 9:53 left in the third period, leading the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday night at the BB&T Center.
Marchessault beat Nashville rookie goalie Juuse Saros on a sharp-angle shot along the boards, just outside the right circle. It was Marchessault's 12th goal of the season. Vincent Trocheck and Jaromir Jagr each earned an assist on the play.
Panthers backup goalie James Reimer (6-5-3), who has been hot lately, earned the win. This was his first January start after a brilliant December, during which he posted a 1.90 goals-against average and .941 save percentage.
Greg McKegg scored Florida's first goal. It was his second of the season and his second in two games.
Florida (17-15-8) moved within two points of the idle Boston Bruins, who visit the Panthers on Saturday. The Bruins, who started the night in third place in the Atlantic Division, are one of the teams Florida is chasing.
Nashville (17-15-7) had its four-game road winning streak snapped.
The game was played just hours after a shooting at the airport in nearby Fort Lauderdale left five people dead and eight wounded.
Panthers executive chairman Peter Luukko said the team was in touch with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman as well as several law enforcement entities and Broward County officials.
"We got word around 4 p.m. that the situation was under control," Luukko said. "It was isolated to just the airport.
"We decided as an organization that it was best to go on with the game. This (tragedy) is the way the world is today, unfortunately. But as part of the community, we felt it was best to move on and not let something like this terrible act affect our daily lives."
Florida opened the scoring with McKegg's goal just 2:24 into the first period. Derek MacKenzie chipped the puck in off the rear boards, and, after a battle for possession, McKegg was in the right spot. He picked up the loose puck and made a forehand-to-back move, roofing his shot over Saros' glove.
With 5:03 expired in the third period, the Predators tied the score on a Craig Smith goal. The Predators caught the Panthers in a line change, and Reimer lunged at Smith, who beat him with a high shot.
NOTES: Predators G Pekka Rinne, who was rested on Friday, posted a 1.49 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage in November. In December, Rinne slumped (3.44 GAA, .875 save percentage). ... Panthers G Roberto Luongo, who sat due to upper-body discomfort, posted a 1.96 GAA in November with a .939 save percentage. In December, he slumped (2.88 GAA, .906 save percentage). ... Florida recalled LW Jared McCann from Springfield of the AHL. He takes the place of LW Seth Griffith (concussion). ... Nashville LW and leading scorer James Neal (upper-body injury) missed his second straight game. ... The Predators have been boosted this week by the return of D Anthony Bitetto, who played his second straight game. Prior to that, he missed 15 consecutive games due to an upper-body injury. ... Florida scratched D Dylan McIlrath, C Denis Malgin and LW Shawn Thornton. ... Boston scratched LW Viktor Arvidsson and D Petter Granberg.