Panthers Collapse Against Canadiens, Lose 3-2 In OT
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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Phillip Danault scored 39 seconds into overtime after Brendan Gallagher tied it late in the third period, leading the Montreal Canadiens over the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Thursday night.
Gallagher ended a 13-game goal drought with 2:37 remaining when his shot from the right circle went over James Reimer's glove, and then Danault came in on a breakaway and beat Reimer for his seventh goal of the season.
Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, and Al Montoya made 31 saves.
Vincent Trocheck and Jason Demers scored for the Panthers. Reimer stopped 38 shots.
Montreal snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Panthers have lost four in a row and 11 of their past 13 games.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal by Trocheck at 9:03 of the second. Trocheck fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that got past Montoya high into the net.
A power-play goal by Pacioretty tied it at 1 at 5:45 of the second. Pacioretty shot from the high slot and the puck went five-hole on Reimer, who was screened on the play. Pacioretty has 10 goals in his past 12 games.
Demers made it 1-0 with 6:02 left in the first. Demers' shot from the top of the right circle was stopped by Montoya but bounced off the knee of defenseman Shea Weber in front of the crease and into the net. The goal was Demers' seventh of the season, tying his career high.
Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, the team's points leader with 27 points in 36 games, had an MRI on Thursday and will be out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury, interim coach Tom Rowe said before the game.
Notes: Florida did not have an update on the fan who fell from a balcony during a game against Tampa Bay on Wednesday night. The man was conscious and taken to a hospital after the fall. ... Panthers C Michael Sgarbossa was recalled late Thursday from AHL Springfield. ... RW Reilly Smith missed his second game with a concussion. ... Montoya appeared in 45 games for the Panthers from 2014-16. ... Linesman Jonny Murray was honored before the game for officiating his 1,000 NHL game.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Panthers: Visit the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
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