Barkov's shootout tally lifts Panthers over Blue Jackets
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Aleksander Barkov scored the only goal in a shootout as the Florida Panthers cooled off the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo stopped all three shootout attempts by Columbus.
Florida's Jaromir Jagr, the oldest player in the league at 44, scored career goal number 752 in the first period. It was just his third this season.
Luongo (36 saves) was working on a shutout before Brandon Saad scored for Columbus with 7:10 left in the third period. It was Saad's sixth goal of the season.
Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky also played well, making 22 saves as the Panthers (11-9-1) barely had enough to beat Columbus (11-5-4). Florida improved to 6-1 in overtime/shootouts this season, the best record in the league.
Columbus, which entered with the No. 1 power play in the NHL, went 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
But despite the loss, Columbus went 8-2-3 this month, setting a franchise record for most November points (19).
Jagr's goal came with 3:15 left in the first period. The wild sequence started with a three-on-two Columbus rush that was thwarted by a Luongo save on a Nick Foligno shot.
Florida counterattacked and Aleksander Barkov, working behind the Columbus net, passed to the slot area, finding Jagr for a one-timer. Shawn Thornton, Florida's 39-year-old left winger, got the secondary assist for his first point of the season. He had been a healthy scratch in all but three games prior to Saturday.
Saad's goal, with assists from Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky, tied the score 1-1. After Columbus won an offensive-zone face-off, Saad scored from low on the right circle. With his back to the goal, Saad took a whack at the puck and found the back of the net.
NOTES: Columbus promoted C Justin Scott from Cleveland of the AHL and placed fourth-line LW Matt Calvert (upper body) on injured reserve. Scott was a healthy scratch along with D Scott Harrington. ... Columbus was also without RW David Clarkson (back) and D Dalton Prout (upper body). ... Florida sent C Greg McKegg to its AHL affiliate in Springfield. ... Florida has D Alex Petrovic (broken ankle) and C Jonathan Huberdeau (Achilles) on injured reserve. ... Florida scratched D Dylan McIlrath and RW Kyle Rau. ... Panthers coach Gerard Gallant was behind the bench despite missing Friday's practice because of illness. ... The Panthers open a season-long six-game road trip Sunday at the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers return home Dec. 8 to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. ... The Blue Jackets return home Tuesday to face the Tampa Bay Lightning.