Carter Verhaeghe scored the go-ahead goal in the second period as the host Florida Panthers rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Wednesday night in Sunrise.
Verhaeghe has scored nine goals in his past 11 games, and he has 11 for the season.
The Panthers, who are 6-1-0 over their past seven games, also got goals from Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett, and two assists from Brad Marchand.
Panthers backup goalie Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves and improved his record to 4-5-1. Tarasov twice stopped Trevor Moore on breakaways, the second one with 4:54 left on a shot that would’ve tied the score.
Joel Armia and Kevin Fiala scored for the Kings, who also got 25 saves from Anton Forsberg.
Los Angeles has now lost four straight games, which is tied for their longest skid of the season.
The first two goals of the game were nearly identical – deflections on the power play.
Los Angeles scored first as Armia redirected a shot from Brandt Clarke with 6:21 left in the initial period. After the deflection, the puck dipped down and went between Tarasov’s pads.
Florida tied the score with 17:46 remaining in the second as Lundell tipped in a shot by Aaron Ekblad. Had it not been for Lundell’s stick, Ekblad’s shot likely would have gone wide of the net.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead with 12:56 left in the second as Verhaeghe spun around and knocked in a rebound off the right leg of Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson. Jeff Petry earned the primary assist as it was his shot from the point that started the sequence.
Florida wasted no time in extending its lead to 3-1 as the Panthers scored just 10 seconds into the third period. Marchand got the primary assist as his perfect pass connected with a charging Bennett, who tipped the puck to the short side of the net, past Forsberg.
The Kings – thanks to a fortuitous bounce — closed their deficit to 3-2 with 15:12 left in the third. Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling tried to clear the puck in his own end, but his attempt caromed off Fiala, beating Tarasov five-hole.
A high-sticking penalty on Lundell with 3:05 left gave the Kings a key power play. Los Angeles eventually pulled Forsberg for a 6-4 advantage, but the Panthers held on for the win.
