Lights Out: Canadiens Goalie Shuts Out Panthers in NHL Debut

SUNRISE — All of a sudden, the Florida Panthers have a scoring problem. At the same time, it looks like the Montreal Canadiens finally found a backup goalie.

Jakub Dobes, 23, made his NHL debut extra memorable on Saturday afternoon by making 33 saves and leading the Canadiens to a 4-0 win over the Panthers.

Since scoring four goals in Tampa on Sunday, the Panthers have been shutout in 2 hours, 31 seconds of game time in a pair of losses to the Lightning and Canadiens.

Montreal ended a nine-game losing streak in Sunrise dating to Dec. 28, 2018.

It is the longest home winning streak against a single opponent in Panthers history.

After a scoreless first period, the Canadiens scored three in the second to take a commanding 3-0 lead into the third.

Florida gave up a pair to Kirby Dach before Jake Evans picked off Sam Reinhart and drove in on Spencer Knight for a shorthanded goal.

PANTHERS V. CANADIENS NOTES

• Evans got his third shorthanded goal of the season, tying Alex Tuch for second-most in the NHL this season. Only Reinhart (four) has more.
• Dobes joined Wilf Cude (Dec. 23, 1933), Bob Perreault (Dec. 17, 1955), Wayne Thomas (Jan. 14, 1973), and Yann Danis (Oct. 12, 2005) as the only Montreal goalie to get a shutout in their NHL debut.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Canadiens 1, Panthers 0 (1:39 2nd): Alex Newhook sends a cross-ice pass to Kirby Dach that he whiffs on in front of the net — but the puck bounds off his right skate and past Spencer Knight.
• Canadiens 2, Panthers 0 (13:51 2nd): The Panthers get caught in a traffic jam near the bench and Dach comes through the zone with speed and beats Knight with his backhand this time.
• Canadiens 3, Panthers 0 (17:19 2nd SH): A blind pass from Sam Reinhart is picked off in the neutral zone and Jake Evans drives in and scores from the left circle.
• Canadiens 4, Panthers 0 (14:17 3rd): Another Florida turnover leads to Cole Caufield scoring from the slot.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Jakub Dobes, Montreal
• 2. Kirby Dach, Montreal
• 3. Alex Newhook, Montreal