Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 3
TORONTO -- Rocco Grimaldi scored two goals and the Florida Panthers held on to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 Monday for their third straight victory.
Grimaldi potted both of his goals in the second period. The center entered the game with one goal for the season, which he scored on Nov. 4.
Centers Nick Bjugstad and Aleksander Barkov also scored for the Panthers (45-25-9), who took a 3-0 lead in the second period and gave the Maple Leafs (28-40-11) their third straight loss.
Center Colin Greening scored two goals for Toronto and defenseman T.J. Brennan added another.
Panthers goaltender Al Montoya made 22 saves as the Panthers try to maintain first place in the Atlantic Division.
Jonathan Bernier made 32 stops in the Toronto goal.
The Maple Leafs put the puck into goal at 2:23 of the third period on a shot by Byron Froese but a challenge by the Panthers claiming interference on the goaltender was upheld and the score remained 3-0.
The Maple Leafs finally scored at 5:50 of the third on a shot from the high slot by Greening for his first goal of the game. It came with Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson serving an interference penalty.
The Maple Leafs trimmed the lead to one on the first goal of the season by Brennan at 8:54 of the third.
The Panthers countered with the 27th goal of the season by Barkov at 9:30 to regain a two-goal margin at 4-2.
Greening scored his second goal of the game and sixth of the season from the low slot to cut Florida's lead to one goal again at 11:53 of the third.
The Panthers had a 9-7 advantage in shots in the first period.
Florida had the only power play of the period when Brennan was called for holding at 17:45. The Panthers did little with the opportunity and had no shots on goal during the two minutes.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on the 14th goal of the season by Bjugstad at 1:34 of the second period. He stuffed home the rebound after Bernier stopped a slap shot by defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
Grimaldi rifled home his first goal of the game from the left faceoff circle at 10:31 of the second period.
Grimaldi scored his second goal of the game and his third of the season on another shot from the left faceoff circle at 13:11 of the second and the Panthers led 3-0.
The Panthers had a 26-14 advantage in shots on goal after two periods.
NOTES: Toronto C Nazem Kadri was suspended for four games, the rest of the Maple Leafs' season, for his crosscheck to the shoulder and head area of C Luke Glendening to earn a two-minute penalty Saturday in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Kadri finishes with 17 goals and 28 assists for a team-leading 45 points. The Maple Leafs recalled LW Rich Clune from the Marlies of the AHL to replace Kadri. ... The Panthers did not play Sunday but clinched a playoff spot when the Boston Bruins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. ... The Leafs play their final home game of the season Wednesday when they meet the Columbus Blue Jackets. ... The Panthers play the second game of three straight on the road Tuesday when they visit Montreal to play the Canadiens.