Panthers 5, Flyers 4
SUNRISE, Fla. - Nick Bjugstad and Aleksander Barkov scored in a shootout and Reilly Smith produced two goals as the Florida Panthers snapped the Philadelphia Flyers' three-game win streak with a 5-4 victory on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo stopped both shots he faced in the shootout.
The Panthers trailed 3-2 midway through the third period before rallying with two goals in 65 seconds. Barkov scored on a power-play goal to tie the score and Smith put Florida up 4-3 when he took a pass from Jussi Jokinen and scored just before barreling into Flyers goalie Steve Mason.
Flyers rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who last season became the first born-and-raised South Floridian to appear in an NHL game, tied the score 4-4 with 1:55 left in the third period. It was his first game against his hometown team.
Florida also got a goal from Jonathan Huberdeau. Jokinen has a 10-game point streak, the longest of any Panthers player this season and tying his career high set in 2010.
The Flyers, who had won six of their past seven games entering Saturday, got goals from Nick Cousins, Ryan White and Michael Raffl and two assists from Sam Gagner. Raffl's tip-in goal with 18:32 left in the third period have given the Flyers their 3-2 lead.
Mason, who had allowed just three goals in his three previous games, took the loss.
Florida (38-21-9) is in second place in the Atlantic Division with 85 points. The Boston Bruins, who beat the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon, lead the division with 86 points.
Philadelphia (32-23-12) is three points behind the Detroit Red Wings in the battle for the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. The Wings beat the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
The win capped a night of celebration for the Panthers.
Twenty years ago, the Panthers eliminated the Flyers in the Eastern Conference semifinals en route to the first and only trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history. On Saturday, many of the Panthers from that team were at the BB&T Center for a reunion, including coach Doug MacLean and star goalie John Vanbiesbrouck.
Florida opened the scoring when Smith won a battle along the right boards in the first period. Smith raced in and beat Mason high to the glove side with 8:38 left.
With 5:24 remaining in the first period, Philadelphia tied the score when Gagne's cross-ice pass got past Florida defenseman Jakub Kindl and found the stick of Cousins, who converted from the right slot.
The teams also traded goals in the second period. White gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead with 6:44 left, converting on Philadelphia's third power play of the game.
Jaromir Jagr, with a Flyers defender hanging onto him, showed his strength as he was still able to dish the puck to Huberdeau in the left slot for the goal that tied the score 2-2 with 6:26 left.
NOTES: Flyers G Michal Neuvirth (stomach flu) was scratched, and G Anthony Stolarz was brought up from the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms to serve as the backup. It was the third time Stolarz was promoted this season, all due to Neuvirth having bouts of injury or illness. ... Flyers D Shayne Gostisbehere, 22, is having a great season, breaking NHL rookie records for overtime goals (four) and consecutive games with at least one point (15). ... Panthers second-year D Aaron Ekblad has seven game-winning goals in his career, which tied Ed Jovanovski's franchise record for a defenseman. ... Florida scratched C Quinton Howden, RW Teddy Purcell, LW Shawn Thornton, D Willie Mitchell and D Steven Kampfer. ... Philadelphia scratched C Jordan Weal, RW Jakub Voracek, C R.J. Umberger and D Andrew MacDonald.