The Florida Panthers had been waiting on a breakout performance from their second line. On Saturday night, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk helped provide a spark that led to a blowout win.
The trio combined for 3 goals and 7 points as the Panthers snapped a two-game slide with a 5-1 win over the host Edmonton Oilers.
Verhaeghe got the first and final goal of the game with Bennett scoring on the power play to help put some distance between the Panthers and Oilers.
“We have had a stretch of time where our offensive game was a little bit behind,” coach Paul Maurice said. “The first period was as good as we needed it to be. We needed another line aside the Barkov line; Bennett was great tonight, that line was great tonight. We needed a big response here.”
Obviously Florida’s game Tuesday in Calgary will be special to both Bennett and Tkachuk as the two starred for the Flames before being traded to Florida.
Perhaps just being back in Alberta, and playing their old rivals, helped kickstart things.
Bennett came into the night with just 2 assists this month; Tkachuk had 2 points as well although both were goals.
Saturday, Verhaeghe and Bennett both had 3-point nights; Tkachuk came thisclose to having a multi-point game.
Florida, which was shut out in its previous two losses on this trip, got things rolling at 5:33 of the first when Verhaeghe scored on a nice backdoor feed from Bennett.
Verhaeghe played a big part in Florida’s second goal as well as he fed a charging Brandon Montour with Sasha Barkov knocking in a puck 29 seconds later for a 3-0 lead heading to the first break.
Although Zach Hyman pulled Edmonton within a pair at 8:08 of the second, Bennett got his first goal since Nov. 30 with a power play backhanded sweep.
Verhaeghe all but ended things with a goal 21 seconds into the third.
Sergei Bobrovsky was named the first star of the game by FHN after he made 38 saves in the win — and got his first assist with the Panthers on Bennett’s goal.
ON DECK
FLORIDA PANTHERS @ CALGARY FLAMES
- When: Monday, 9:30 p.m.
- Where: The Saddledome; Calgary, Alberta
- TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
- Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- This Series — At Calgary: Monday. At Florida: March 9.
- Last Season: Calgary Won 2-0
- All-Time Regular Season Series: Calgary leads 24-11-3, 3 ties
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