Pirri's Shootout Goal Gives Panthers 2-1 Win Over Bruins
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami/AP) – The Panthers won their second game in a row thanks to Brandon Pirri's clutch shootout goal against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
Pirri beat Tuukka Rask five-hole in the second round of the shootout, leading the Florida to a 2-1 victory.
Roberto Luongo turned aside all three of Boston's shooters.
This was the Panthers first win against Boston since a 6-2 home victory March 15, 2012, a span of 10 games.
Jimmy Hayes scored in regulation for the Panthers, and Luongo made 26 saves in his second start since returning from a shoulder injury.
Patrice Bergeron scored, and Rask stopped 24 shots in the Bruins' fourth straight loss. Boston is two points ahead of Ottawa in the race for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Senators beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Saturday.
The Panthers are four points behind the Bruins, and three points behind the Senators.
Bergeron tied the game at 1 on a power-play goal in the second. Ryan Spooner made a nice pass to Bergeron in the slot and he one-timed the puck between Luongo's pads and into the back of net at 2:52. The goal was Bergeron's 20th, the sixth time he has scored at least that many.
Hayes gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Dave Bolland backhanded the puck to Hayes in front and he poked it past Rask with 5:19 left in the first.
NOTES: Panthers forward Shawn Thornton played in his 600th NHL game. Thornton also played 605 games in 10 seasons in the AHL, joining Dave Creighton and Jim Morrison as the only players to have at least 600 games in both leagues. ... Jagr tied F John Bucyk for 12th all-time games played in the NHL with 1,540. ... Bruins D Dougie Hamilton left in the second period and did not return. ... F Reilly Smith was a healthy scratch. ... C David Krejci is with the team and close to returning from a knee injury, but missed his 14th game.
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