Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 3
Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 3: Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk each recorded a goal and an assist as Toronto won its fifth straight home game.
Mason Raymond, defenseman Cody Franson, Tyler Bozak and Nikolai Kulemin also scored for the Maple Leafs, who improved to 11-5-2 against Atlantic Division opponents and are 8-1-1 in their last 10 contests. Nazem Kadri collected three assists, Phil Kessel notched two and Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves.
Nick Bjugstad and Sean Bergenheim scored to give Florida a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Panthers allowed the next five goals. Blue-liner Dmitry Kulikov also tallied and Scott Clemmensen stopped 26 shots in just his second start this month.
Franson’s point shot through traffic cut Toronto’s deficit to 2-1 with 3:11 remaining in the first period. The Maple Leafs took the lead less than a minute into the middle session as Raymond buried a wrist shot at the 27-second mark and van Riemsdyk tipped Kessel’s shot past Clemmensen 31 seconds later.
Kulemin made it 4-2 with a quick shot from the side boards that fooled Clemmensen four minutes into the third period. Lupul fired home a one-timer during a power play 2:22 later and Bozak converted a feed from Kessel with 1:23 remaining to cap the scoring.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Bergenheim has recorded a point in each of his last five games. … Kadri has collected 12 points in his last seven contests. … The Maple Leafs finished 2-for-3 on the power play.