Marchessault scores winner as Panthers defeat Blue Jackets
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jonathan Marchessault scored the go-ahead goal to lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.
In a battle of backup goalies -- James Reimer for Florida and Joonas Korpisalo for Columbus -- the Panthers (20-17-8) prevailed over the Blue Jackets (29-9-4).
The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Vincent Trochek as well as goals from two polar opposites, Jaromir Jagr, who is second in NHL history in points, and defensive forward Shawn Thornton, who rarely gets on the board.
Columbus got goals from Scott Hartnell, Cam Atkinson and Boone Jenner.
Florida scored first, getting a goal with 11:38 left in the first period. Aaron Ekblad fired a cross-ice pass to Thornton, who scored into an open left side of the net. For the 39-year-old Thornton, it was his first goal since Dec. 20, 2015.
Columbus tied the score with a power-play goal just over two minutes later. After a tripping penalty on Jaromir Jagr, Ryan Murray's shot was deflected in by Hartnell for his 11th goal of the season.
The Jackets went up 2-1 with 1:50 left in the first period as Atkinson scored unassisted. Once Panthers defenseman Jakub Kindl failed to clear the puck in his own end, Atkinson pounced on the turnover and beat Reimer with a high wrist shot.
Florida tied the score 2-2 with 11:36 left in the second period. Columbus' Matt Calvert was in his own end when he was taken off the puck along the right boards by a hit from Jason Demers. That got the puck to Trocheck, who scored on a bad-angle shot that went through the pads of Korpisalo.
The Panthers took a 3-2 lead when Marchessault stole the puck from Markus Nutivaara in the Columbus zone, swept in on Korpisalo from the left side, holding fire and finally shooting when he was to the right of the net.
Florida stretched its lead to 4-2 on a goal by Jagr with 18:33 left in the third period. Trocheck, on the move from left to right, got the puck to the net, and Jagr took a whack at the rebound, barely getting it over the line for career goal No. 757.
Jenner's goal with 13:43 left in the third period beat Reimer to the stick side, cutting Columbus' deficit to 4-3.
NOTES: Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky, who leads the NHL with 26 wins, missed his third straight game because of illness and was sent home. G Anton Forsberg was recalled to serve as the backup. ... Panthers G Roberto Luongo was rested. ... The Panthers wore "FLL" decals on their helmets in honor of the victims of last week's deadly shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport. (FLL is the airport code.). ... The Blue Jackets, who have never won a playoff series in their 16-year history, entered Saturday with the most points in the NHL, thanks in large part to a 14-0-0 December. ... Panthers LW Seth Griffith, who missed four straight games with a concussion and then returned Friday, was scratched. ... Panthers C Greg McKegg (undisclosed injury) missed his fourth straight game. ... Four Panthers are all out until at least next month: LW Jonathan Huberdeau, C Aleksander Barkov, C Nick Bjugstad and D Alex Petrovic.