Barkov Scores Two As Panthers Win Fourth Straight, Continue Climbing Standings
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami/AP) — The Florida Panthers have been getting contributions from up and down the roster, but that doesn't mean the team's superstars aren't needed to step up when called upon.
Aleksander Barkov scored two goals to lift the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
Maxim Mamin scored his second NHL goal and Robert Luongo made 29 saves as the Panthers recorded their fourth straight win.
Jesper Bratt and Taylor Hall scored for the Devils. Cory Schneider stopped 26 shots in his first start since missing 16 games with a lower-body injury.
Barkov's second goal stretched the Panthers lead to 3-1 with 3:34 left in the third. Barkov lifted the puck over Schneider and into the net.
Bratt's goal closed the score to 3-2 with 2:07 left in the third.
Mamin gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead on his flukey goal at 8:38 of the third period. Mamin grabbed a long cross-ice pass from Jared McCann and flipped the puck up at the net as he skated past on the right side. The puck bounced off Schneider's back and rolled into the net.
Hall tied the score 1-all on a power-play goal 50 seconds into the second period. Hall's shot from the top of the right circle was inadvertently redirected into the net off the stick of Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
Hall has 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in a 16-game point streak, the longest in the NHL this season and the longest in Devils history and has a point in 23 consecutive appearances.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead after Barkov took a shot from the left side that bounced off Schneider's pad and out into the crease. The puck then went off the left skate of New Jersey's Nico Hischier and into the net as he collided with both Florida's Nick Bjugstad and Schneider in the crease at 6:51 of the first. The goal survived a coach's challenge of goaltender interference. Barkov has a career-high 60 points.
NOTES: Schneider's last start for the Devils was Jan. 23 at Boston. ... Devils forward Patrick Maroon made his first appearance since being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 26. ... Barkov has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in his past 12 games.
UP NEXT
Devils: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.
Panthers: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
