Panthers rally late, KO Coyotes
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Mike Matheson finished off a three-goal Florida flurry in less than six minutes that turned around a game that Arizona was dominating, and the Panthers ran the Coyotes' losing streak to seven games with a 3-2 comeback victory Tuesday night.
Nick Bjugstad scored with 10 seconds left in the second period to start the rally, Denis Malgin tied it early in the third period and James Reimer stopped 39 shots as Florida halted its own three-game skid and won for only the third time in 10 games.
Arizona's Christian Fischer scored late in the first period, just after a power play ended, and Derek Stepan added a goal late in the second to give the Coyotes a 2-0 lead in a game they largely dominated while outshooting Florida 32-12 over the first two periods.
But Bjugstad's ninth goal of the season, on a wrist shot from the left circle off Derek MacKenzie's faceoff win, clearly shifted the momentum and Arizona seemed to shut down after that. In their previous game, the Coyotes lost 4-2 to Pittsburgh by allowing two goals in the final 15 seconds.
Malgin tied it at 3:37 of the third, skating undefended into the lower right circle to beat goalie Antti Raanta with a wrist shot created by Evgenii Dadonov's pass from the left circle. Dadonov assisted on Florida's final two goals.
Raanta, who got little work over the first two periods before ending with 23 saves, momentarily kept it tied with an excellent glove save on Colton Sceviour's wrist shot only 16 seconds after Malgin scored.
But Raanta couldn't stop Matheson after the defenseman jumped on a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated down the slot, switching from his backhand to his forehand with Jason Demers hanging on him, before putting a shot inside the near post at 5:41 of the third.
In less than six minutes, Florida scored more goals at Arizona than in any game there since 2006, and more goals than it scored in any of its most recent four games.
Arizona, outshot 81-50 in its last two games, led 41-26 in shots but still lost its 10th in 11 games (1-8-2).
NOTES: The Coyotes scratched RW Anthony Duclair. ... RW Nick Merkley, the second of the Coyotes' two first-round draft picks in 2015, made his NHL debut after being recalled from Tucson (AHL), playing nearly 13 minutes. ... C Dylan Strome, the first of those two first-round picks, was sent back to Tucson. ... Arizona acquired F Josh Archibald, G Sean Maguire and a 2019 sixth-round pick from Pittsburgh for G Michael Leighton, who was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL), and a 2019 fourth-round pick. Archibald is expected to join the Coyotes. ... Arizona is 3-11-1 at home.