RECAP: Montreal Canadiens 3, Florida Panthers 1
The Florida Panthers suffered their second loss in the past three games — something that has not happened since mid January.
After a slow start, the Florida Panthers let another important divisional match-up with the Montreal Canadiens slip away in a 3-1 loss.
Florida did not look like itself in the first period. Per Natural Statrick, Montreal led in shots (6-5), scoring chances (10-6) and high-danger chances while dominating zone time and driving play into the slot.
Montreal scored twice in the first period and the Panthers could not claw their way back into this game.
Florida suffered just its second loss in the past nine games, with both of those losses coming in its last three. Saturday night marked the first time the Panthers lost two games in a three-game span since Jan. 12-16.
Patrik Laine gave Montreal the early lead 5:15 into the game, ripping a quick wrist shot past Sergei Bobrovsky on the power play.
The Canadiens appeared to score a second power play goal with 8:24 to go when Alex Newhook tipped a Nick Suzuki feed past Bobrovsky. The Panthers challenged the goal for goalie interference and it was reversed when it was found that Brendan Gallagher was in the crease impeding Bobrovsky’s ability to make the save.
Cole Caufield put Montreal ahead 2-0 with a quick snap shot off of a spin-o-rama after the Panthers were pinned in their own zone for an extended period of time with 4:04 to go in the first period.
Mackie Samoskevich finally gave the Panthers their break 3:51 into the second period, driving around the net and zipping a wrist shot past Samuel Montembeault to make it 2-1. It was his fifth goal in the past 10 games and his 13th of the season, which tied him with San Jose’s Will Smith for third among rookies.
The Panthers found themselves on the penalty kill late in the second period and nearly found themselves down behind by two goals yet again. Juraj Slafovsky was inches away from tucking the puck into a wide-open net, but Gustav Forsling stuffed him at the goal line with his stick to keep the Panthers in the game.
Christian Dvorak put the game away for Montreal with 11:49 to go. He deflected David Savard’s point shot past Bobrovsky after the Panthers had held the Canadiens without a shot in the third period to that point.
Bobrovsky stopped 12 of 15 shots in the loss for the Panthers, allowing one goal on just two shots in the third period.
The Panthers remain four points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the top spot in the Atlantic Division after they suffered an 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Florida will continue its six-game road trip on Sunday night when they head to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders.