Barkov’s quick hat trick lifts Panthers over Canadiens 7-2
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov recorded a first-period hat trick and helped his team snap a three-game losing streak with a 7-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday in the evening.
Barkov scored the game’s first two goals in the first 11:50 and made it 3-1 with the third of the period.
Florida also got a pair of goals from Matthew Tkachuk with Carter Verhaeghe and Eetu Luostarinen scoring in the third, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves in the win.
Montreal, which has lost its last four, got goals from Arber Xhekaj and Josh Anderson.
Sam Montembeault, claimed off waivers by Montreal from Florida in 2021, earned the loss after making 34 saves.
Barkov got the fourth hat trick of his career with three goals scored in very different ways.
The first, 2:37 into the game, came when Gustav Forsling’s shot bounced off Barkov’s skate and past Montembeault.
Barkov, playing his first game after missing the last three with a lower-body injury, got the second on a snap shot from the left circle, while the third was scored in front of the net with a loose disc
Florida led 3-2 in the second after Anderson scored his ninth of the season on an extended power play with 46.1 seconds to play in the first.
Tkachuk gave Florida some breathing room with the team’s second power-play goal of the game by deflecting a long Brandon Montour shot at 6:22 of the second.
Verhaeghe’s team-leading 18th goal came on a breakaway at 4:14 of the third. Tkachuk made it 6-2 at 7:24 of the third with the team’s third power play goal of the night.
NOTES: Barkov recorded his hat trick in the opening 15:22, making it the fastest three-goal game in franchise history. His second goal came on the power play, giving him 67 in his Florida career and making him the franchise leader. Barkov had been tied with Scott Mellanby, who started with the team during its expansion season in 1993 and was the team’s second captain. Barkov already held the franchise record for goals scored, now with 229. … Not only did Florida get Barkov back from injury, but defenseman Radko Gudas also returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a concussion … Lineman Ryan Jackson appeared to suffer a knee injury when he was brought down during a scramble between Florida’s Marc Staal and Montreal’s Joel Edmundson midway through the third. Florida athletic trainer Dave DiNapoli assisted Jackson on the ice. Jackson was helped off the ice by Staal and DiNapoli and taken to Florida’s medical room.
UNTIL THE NEXT
Canadiens: At Washington Saturday night.
Panthers: At Carolina on Friday night.
#Barkovs #quick #hat #trick #lifts #Panthers #Canadiens
