Panthers rally with 3 3rd-period goals to edge Hurricanes in shootout

Field Level Media|published: Sat 20th December, 02:22 2025

Dec 19, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Jeff Petry (2) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) fight for position in front of the net during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues scored in the shootout and Sergei Bobrovsky made three stops on four attempts, as the host Florida Panthers rallied to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Friday night in Sunrise, Fla.

Florida trailed 3-0 with less than 10 minutes left and was down 3-1 with under three minutes remaining.

Brad Marchand made it 3-1 with his 20th of the season, Sam Bennett got it to 3-2 and Reinhart tied the game with just 52 seconds remaining. Marchand extended an impressive run with his 13th straight 20-goal season.

Florida's rally ruined a record-breaking attempt by Carolina rookie goalie Brandon Bussi, who had his nine-game win streak snapped despite making 38 saves.

Bussi's mark still ties Cam Ward (2008-2009) for the longest win streak by a Carolina goalie.

Sebastian Aho scored twice and Jordan Staal had one for the Hurricanes, who also got two assists each from Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov.

Aho has four goals over his past two games.

The Panthers are 7-1-0 over their last eight games, including four straight wins.

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves for his fifth straight victory.

Carolina -- thanks to a relentless effort -- opened the scoring 11:53 into the first period. Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere started the sequence with a shot from beyond the right circle that hit the post. Staal's first rebound attempt also hit the right post. Eric Robinson then tried to shove the puck in before Staal finally scored.

The Hurricanes appeared to take a 2-0 lead with 4:58 left in the second period, but that would-be goal was taken off the board because the puck was kicked into the net by Jarvis.

Aho made it 2-0 -- for real this time -- on a breakaway with 87 seconds gone in the third. Svechnikov's pass sprung Aho.

Carolina made it 3-0 just over six minutes later on Aho's power-play goal on a rebound from the right circle.

Florida got on the board with 9:44 left in the third as Bennett -- working from behind the net -- dished to Marchand for the goal.

The Panthers pulled Bobrovsky with 4:30 remaining to add an extra attacker, and the strategy succeeded as Bennett and Reinhart scored.

--Field Level Media

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