Luongo Ties For 4th On Wins List, Panthers Beat Blues 5-2
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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Roberto Luongo moved into a tie for fourth on the NHL career victory list with 474, making 37 saves to help the Florida Panthers beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2 on Thursday night.
The 38-year-old Luongo is tied with Curtis Joseph on the career list.
Vincent Trocheck scored the go-ahead goal, Ian McCoshen had his first NHL goal, and Jared McCann, Aaron Ekblad and Nick Bjugstad also connected for Florida.
Paul Stastny and Vince Dunn — also with his first career goal — countered for St. Louis. Jake Allen stopped 33 shots in the Blues' first loss in five games this season.
Trocheck put the Panthers ahead 2-1 with a short-handed goal at 2:45 of the second period. Trocheck skated in on a breakaway and shot over Allen's glove. It was the first time the Blues trailed since the first period in their opener at Pittsburgh.
McCann made it 3-1 on a power play at 7:42 of the second, redirecting Radim Vrbata's shot.
Ekblad gave the Panthers a 4-1 lead at 3:16 of the third when he took a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau in front and fired it past Allen. Bjugstad scored with 5:58 left made it 5-1.
Dunn completed the scoring.
Midway through the second period, the Blues had a potential goal by Brayden Schenn waved off because of a high stick.
The Blues took a 1-0 lead in the second on a power-play wraparound goal by Stastny, who poked the puck past Luongo's right skate into the corner of the net at 1:14. McCoshen, playing his sixth NHL game, tied it 12 seconds later.
Notes: The first nine goals scored by the Panthers this season were each by a different player. Trocheck broke the streak with his second goal of the season. ... The game was Luongo's first game at home since a Feb. 28 win against Carolina. He didn't play last season after March 2 due to recurring hip issues. ... Blues RW Owen Tippett, the No. 10 pick in the 2017 draft, was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. ... The Blues played their third game on the road in four nights.
UP NEXT:
Blues: At Tampa Bay on Saturday night.
Panthers: At Pittsburgh on Saturday night.
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