Panthers rally and beat Penguins in shootout win as Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes dwindle
SUNRISE, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov scored in the shootout round while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all three attempts, and the Florida Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Sunday night.
Sam Reinhart scored twice, giving him 35 goals on the season, and Anton Lundell also scored for the Panthers.
Coming off a 2-4 road trip, ending with Saturday’s 6-3 loss at league-point leader Washington, the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers have won 11 of their last 12 at home.
Bryan Rust had two goals, and Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins. Sidney Crosby assisted on both of Rust’s goals, increasing his points streak to seven games.
Rust scored twice in a five-minute span late in the first period to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-1 and erase an early deficit when Reinhart scored his first goal at 11:25.
The teams traded power play goals in the second period. Malkin’s blast from the left circle gave the Penguins a two-goal advantage before Reinhart narrowed the deficit with a wrist shot between the pads of Pittsburgh goalie Tristan Jarry.
Penguins: With nine games remaining, the loss further affected their postseason hopes. Pittsburgh began Sunday seven points behind Montreal for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
Panthers: Sunday’s game completed the first of four sets of games on consecutive days to close the regular season.
The Panthers forced overtime on Lundell’s tying goal with 5:31 remaining in regulation. Eetu Luostarinen sent a pass to an open Lundell on the right circle. Lundell then one-timed a shot past Jarry.
The Panthers had just four shots on goal in the first period yet finished the night with 30. They had 13 in the second, 11 in the third and two in overtime.
The Penguins continue their three-game road trip at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
