Parise, Wild too strong for reeling Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Zach Parise scored the go-ahead goal with 5:07 left in the third period as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Florida Panthers 7-4 on Friday night at the BB&T Center.
Panthers goalie James Reimer stopped the initial shot by Jonas Brodin, but the rebound came right to Parise for the easy tap-in and his 16th goal of the season.
Of the five goals allowed by Reimer, three were on rebounds and one was on a deflection. The Wild's last two goals were into an empty-net in the final 70 seconds.
Minnesota (43-17-6), which leads the Western Conference, had scored just five goals in its past four games. But the Wild broke out of their slump with two goals by Eric Staal and one each by Jason Zucker and Jason Pominville before Michael Granlund and Charlie Coyle scored into an empty net.
Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper was pulled after two periods and a 3-3 score, with Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau inserting normal starter Devan Dubnyk into the game.
Florida (29-26-1), battling to get into playoff position in the Eastern Conference, scored more than three goals in a game for the first time since Feb. 17. It wasn't enough, however, as the Panthers fell to 1-6-1 in their past eight games.
There was a silver lining for Florida, though. In the first game since Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe changed all four of his forward lines, Florida's offense came alive.
Jonathan Marchessault, Mark Pysyk, Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida. For Jagr, it was career goal No. 762.
Minnesota scored with 7:50 elapsed in the first period, keeping the puck in Florida's zone for 30 seconds until a shot by Brodin was redirected in by Zucker for his 21st goal of the season.
Florida tied the score seven minutes later. After Minnesota's Martin Hanzal was assessed a tripping penalty, the Panthers' power play needed just 13 seconds to click. Marchessault got his 20th goal, on a rebound, and Keith Yandle earned the assist after his shot from the left circle was too hot for Kuemper to handle.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead with 18:11 elapsed in the first period. Pysyk, trailing the play, received a back pass from Vincent Trocheck before beating Kuemper high to the glove side. It was just Pysyk's third goal of the season.
Minnesota tied the score 2-2 with 8:07 elapsed in the second period. Staal forced Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad to turn the puck over in his own end. Nino Niederreiter scooped up the loose puck and fed it in front to Staal, who beat Reimer stick side for his 20th goal.
Two minutes later, the Wild went ahead 3-2 on Pominville's 11th goal, which came on a rebound. The Panthers challenged the score, claiming goalie interference, but the goal stood.
Jagr tied the score 3-3 just 61 seconds later. Jagr skated behind the Wild goal, turned and fired for his 13th of the season.
NOTES: The Panthers are in the midst of a seven-game stretch in which they are playing five 40-plus-win teams. ... Panthers G Roberto Luongo (lower-body injury) may be out longer than expected. Luongo, who hasn't played since March 2, may be gone another week or two. ... Panthers LW Thomas Vanek played two seasons with the Wild, from 2014 to 2016, and this was his first game against Minnesota since his departure. The Wild, up against the salary cap, bought out the final year of Vanek's contract. ... Wild D Matt Dumba (illness) returned after missing two games. ... Wild D Christian Folin (upper body) is set to miss three weeks. ... Wild D Gustav Olofsson and C Jordan Schroeder were scratched. ... Florida scratched D Jakub Kindl, LW Shawn Thornton and C Michael Sgarbossa.