Panthers Rally Past Penguins in Shootout to Stay Atop Atlantic

The Florida Panthers may have stumbled out of the gate, but they roared back to pull off a cardiac 4-3 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night in Sunrise. Despite a sluggish start and being heavily outshot in the first period, Florida’s veteran core found its footing just in time to secure two crucial points in the Atlantic Division race.

Sam Reinhart got things started with a sharp wrister midway through the first, but Pittsburgh quickly seized momentum with two goals from Bryan Rust before the buzzer. Evgeni Malkin extended the Penguins’ lead to 3-1 in the second period on a power play, and it looked like the Cats might be headed for their sixth loss in eight games. However, Reinhart struck again with a power-play goal of his own, slicing the deficit in half and giving Florida new life.

In the final frame, Anton Lundell buried a one-timer off a slick cross-ice dish from Eetu Luostarinen to tie the game with just over five minutes left in regulation. From there, it was the Sergei Bobrovsky show. The veteran goaltender stood tall with 24 saves, including all three Penguins attempts in the shootout.

At the other end, Tristan Jarry matched Bobrovsky save for save through regulation and overtime, but Aleksander Barkov’s slick backhand between the legs proved to be the difference-maker in the shootout.

Florida, returning home for the first time in over two weeks, capped off a grueling stretch of three games in four nights—on the second night of a back-to-back, no less—with a gutsy performance that showcased their resilience and composure. Now entering a four-day break, the Panthers maintain their spot atop the Atlantic Division with a 43-25-3 record and 89 points. With Toronto and Tampa Bay nipping at their heels—and each with a game in hand—Sunday’s comeback win may prove vital in the race for home-ice advantage in the postseason.

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