Panthers hope to end homestand on high vs. Pens

The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers close out what has been a disappointing five-game homestand on Friday night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sunrise, Fla.

It will be the second game of a back-to-back set for Florida, which lost 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The Panthers slipped to 1-3-0 on their homestand, having taken back-to-back 4-0 losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens before defeating the New York Rangers 5-3 on Monday.

The setback against the Hurricanes especially was painful because the Panthers wasted a brilliant goaltending performance by Sergei Bobrovsky.

The 36-year-old veteran gave up a goal to Brent Burns just 35 seconds into the game but then stopped 36 shots in a row before Jaccob Slavin scored a controversial game-winner with 7:30 remaining.

Slavin's goal came after Carolina's Jesperi Kotkaniemi crashed into Bobrovsky. Florida's Matthew Tkachuk then came in and pinned Kotkaniemi to the ice. A shot by Sean Walker then bounced off Bobrovsky and Kotkaniemi, both in the crease, straight to Slavin, who fired in a wrist shot from the left circle for the game-winner.

Bobrovsky, who finished with 37 saves on 39 shots, pleaded with officials that the goal should be disallowed for goalie interference. However, the goal was allowed to stand because it was ruled that Tkachuk wouldn't let Kotkaniemi out of the crease following the collision with Bobrovsky.

"It (stinks)," Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling told the Miami Herald. "Bob had an unreal game, and then to see that goal, whatever. We're not going to complain about it, but it is what it is."

Florida coach Paul Maurice decided not to challenge for goaltender interference.

"The referee announced his decision at the time he called the goal," Maurice said. "He felt the player had been held in, so there was no point in the challenge."

Martin Necas sealed the win for Carolina with an empty-netter in the final minute.

"Bob's a good pro," Maurice said. "He's had a lot of nights where he's been the difference for us. Tough one tonight for him, but he played very well so he gets to come to the rink proud (Friday."

Pittsburgh comes in off a 4-2 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings on New Year's Eve, its 13th loss in 19 road games (6-10-3).

Forward Drew O'Connor scored both goals for the Penguins, his second career two-goal game. He also tallied twice in the Penguins' 7-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 23, 2021. O'Connor also ended a 32-game goal drought by increasing his season total to five.

"I told him before the game that his last game was the best he had played in months," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "I said if he continued to play like that, he was going to score, so I was happy that he was able to break through."

This will be the second of three regular-season meetings between the teams. The Penguins, despite blowing a three-goal lead in the third period, won the first matchup 5-4 on an overtime goal by Bryan Rust on Dec. 3 in Pittsburgh.

--Field Level Media