The Florida Panthers are starting to build some momentum.
Florida won each of the three games on their homestand this week, taking down the red-hot New York Islanders, who had won seven straight, by a final score of 6-3.
For the second night in a row, a goal was scored on the game’s opening shift.
Unlike on Saturday, this time it was the Panthers jumping out to an early lead.
Sam Reinhart forced a turnover in the Islanders zone and fed Carter Verhaeghe in front of the net. His quick forehand-backhand move cleared the top of the net for a perfectly placed shot under the crossbar, giving the Cats a 1-0 lead just 39 seconds into the game.
Verhaeghe added a second goal later in the period, slamming home a rebound off a Gus Forsling shot at the 12:52 mark.
The Islanders got one back early in the middle frame when Kyle MacLean benefitted from a favorable deflection in front of Spencer Knight and found the puck behind the goaltender while he was already down and committed.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau tied the game with a power play goal, this one on a tough rebound, after a skinny holding call on Niko Mikkola, and then the Isles took the lead on a nice deflection by Marc Gatcomb moments after they killed of Florida’s first power play of the game.
A great shift by the Anton Lundell line led to an Evan Rodrigues goal that all three forwards touched the puck on.
Rodrigues’ 13th goal of the season appeared to have sent the game into the third period knotted at three apiece, if not for a great give-and-go between Forsling and Reinhart that gave Florida a 4-3 lead with 51 seconds on the clock.
Another Florida power play midway through the third would lead to Verhaeghe’s third hat trick as a member of the Panthers.
The play started behind the net with Tkachuk, who found Barkov on the right side and a quick cross-ice pass and one-timer later, Verhaeghe was celebrating and the Cats were up 5-3.
Tkachuk added an empty-net goal for good measure, extending Florida’s win streak on home ice to four games.
On to the Capitals.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Verhaeghe has scored in consecutive games for just the second time this season.
He’s got five goals and 11 points over his past 10 games.
Reinhart is up to four goals and eight points in his past seven outings.
Barkov picked up multiple assists in both games this weekend. He has six points over a modest three game point streak.
Also with a three-game point streak is Tkachuk. He has six points during the run, and over his past five outings he has four goals and nine points.
Rodrigues has scored six goals over his past 13 games after going the 15 previous games without any.
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