Florida Panthers Streak Ends At Five In Return Home

Despite going 2/2 on the Power Play and scoring their “magic number” 3 goals in regulation, The Cats came up short in Wednesday nights game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Two of the greatest players in NHL history were at the BB&T Center when The Florida Panthers took the ice Wednesday night. Wayne Gretzky “The Great One” in attendance. The other, Jaromir Jagr was on the ice just a week after his 45th birthday.

The Panthers killed off an early penalty but couldn’t capitalize in the offensive zone. Oscar Klefbom (11) scored at 5:18 to put the Oilers up by 1 as he fired a slap shot from the point after a failed clearing attempt by Nick Bjugstad. On a late power play, the Panthers sent a flurry of shots at Cam Talbot but couldn’t find the back of the net.

That power play would continue in the 2nd.

Just 21 seconds into the period Aleksander Barkov (15) snapped one home off of a feed from Jussi Jokinen to tie the game at 1. A slight switch to add Barkov to the Trocheck unit but it paid off. (Barkov went on to play with the first unit as well).

The Panthers had a few scoring chances, a couple big saves from James Reimer and were on the bad end of some unfortunate missed calls in the first 10 minutes of the period.

At 10:26 the Oilers would take the lead back on an Eric Gryba shot deflected in a practically empty net by Zack Kassian, his fifth goal of the season (5) Gryba, in the Oilers line up to replace injured Adam Larsson. Who left the previous game in Tampa Bay with a lower body injury (Day to day).

The Panthers themselves had an injury scare when Vincent Trocheck had a small collision with Jordan Eberle. He went off the ice, into the tunnel in obvious discomfort but would return in the 3rd.

Colton Sceviour was the next Panther to tie the game up. A sweet pass from Jussi Jokinen through the defense, Sceviour (8) fired it top shelf to tie the game up once again 2-2 at 15:53.

Late in the period the Oilers first and second lines applied pressure to the Cats. On a questionable Interference no call on Alex Petrovic, the Oilers took the lead for the 3rd time of the night after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (13) stuffed one home amidst a crowd of Oilers and Panthers in front of James Reimer and the net.

That wasn’t it for the second period though, as time was ticking down Jonathan Marchessault would tie the game up yet again. A beauty of a pass from Keith Yandle ended up on Marchy’s tape and he went high glove side to beat Cam Talbot on the power play. (Keith Yandle with an assist on the goal earned his 400th Career NHL point).

The Third was a period definitely one that the Cats wish they could get back, or at least had got something past Cam Talbot.

Kris Russell (1) scored off of a feed from Leon Draisaitl and beat James Reimer upstairs the lone goal scorer of the period with the game winning goal for the Oilers at 12:02. His first goal in 61 games.

The loss ended the Panthers 5 game win streak and also James Reimer’s personal 5 game winning streak. A tough loss in their homecoming, the Cats look to finish the home stand strong.

Next game: Friday 7:30 Vs. Calgary