In a thrilling matchup held on Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers overcame the Penguins in a shootout, securing a 3-2 victory. Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell were the heroes for Florida, each finding the net during the shootout. Key contributions came from Matthew Tkachuk, who netted a power-play goal in the third period, and Gustav Forsling, who also scored during regulation. Panther’s goaltender Spencer Knight was instrumental in the win, turning aside 29 shots and successfully stopping attempts from Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby in the shootout. Lundell’s decisive goal sealed the win for Florida.
The game took a dramatic turn late in the third period when Rakell scored the equalizer for Pittsburgh with just under 40 seconds left, taking advantage of a 6-on-4 situation while Florida’s Sam Bennett served a roughing penalty. In addition to Rakell’s late goal, Crosby contributed to the scoreboard for the Penguins. Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry made 31 saves throughout the game, showcasing his skills.
One major takeaway for the Penguins was the injury to forward Philip Tomasino, who had to leave the ice early in the third period after a troubling fall into the boards. He was seen favoring his lower right leg, and the team quickly confirmed that he would not return for the remainder of the match.
For the Panthers, Tkachuk seemed particularly fired up after an incident late in the second period. The coordinated efforts of the teams led to a delayed penalty against Florida, which had a developing scrum as Crosby interfered with play to halt the game. Tkachuk received a total of 20 minutes in penalties for his actions, including a minor and a misconduct.
A crucial moment of the game came when Knight executed a remarkable save against Michael Bunting shortly after Tkachuk’s goal. On a power-play opportunity for the Penguins, the puck found its way into the crease, but Knight responded with a clutch kick of his right toe to keep the puck out of the net, preserving the Panthers’ 2-1 lead at that point.
Crosby also achieved a notable milestone, becoming the eighth player in NHL history to record 30 regular-season goals against the Panthers, joining the ranks of greats like Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos, and Jaromir Jagr among others.
Looking ahead, the Penguins will travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, while the Panthers are set to visit the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
