Flurry of Second-Period Panthers Goals Sinks Devils | GAME STORY

SUNRISE, FL - Dougie Hamilton got the Devils on the board first, but a late first-period goal and three early in the second for the home team was the difference in a 4-1 loss in Florida.

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The Devils travel up the state to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The game can be seen on MSG+ and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, with NewJerseyDevils.com's Chris Wescott on play-by-play and Sam Kasan as the color analyst. Puck drop is 4:08 p.m. ET.
With 6:23 to go in the opening frame, Dougie Hamilton wristed a shot high short side from the side boards over the glove of Panthers starting goaltender Spencer Knight to get the Devils on the board first and at that point in the game, the Devils were outshooting Florida 20-8.
"I thought we might have played one of our most efficient and fast periods that we played all year. Probably in the first seven minutes could have had three goals. But we let a team hang around," stated Devils head coach Lindy Ruff.
Panthers tied the game with six seconds to go in the opening frame which proved to turn the tide. Carter Verhaeghe waisted a shot from the top of the left circle that eluded Mackenzie Blackwood glove side to make it 1-1.
After 20 minutes, shots on goal were 22-13 for the Devils.
Panthers came out flying to start the second period, outshooting the Devils 6-2 through the first three minutes. That culminated in a backhand by Eetu Luostarinen on a scramble in front that slide under the pad of Blackwood to put the Panthers in the lead.
"If I'm on their team, (I would tell the players) we got out of it 1-1 and let's go out in the second. They took advantage of a couple of our errors. We didn't take advantage of the mistakes they made," added Ruff.
Just over a minute later, Jonathan Huberdeau wristed a shot from the left circle past Blackwood which looked to make it a 3-1 game but the Devils challenged on the fact that it was offside. After a lengthy review, it was determined to be a good goal, giving the Devils a two-minute penalty for delay of game.
"I saw a player that didn't have possession when the puck went over the line," said Ruff. "I liken it to the Palmieri goal in New York (last season) which was disallowed. He clearly didn't have possession yet. I thought our guys made the right call."
Eight minutes into the second period, shots on goal were even at 25-25.
Less than four minutes after the Huberdeau goal, Anthony Duclair picked up the puck in front of the crease and deked it in for the 4-1 Panthers lead.

Jonathan Bernier came in to replace Blackwood in goal for the Devils. Blackwood stopped 23 of 27 shots through almost half the game.
Bernier slid across to make a nice pad save off Luostarinen. Shots in the second were 16-4 for Florida almost 12 minutes into the middle frame.
Sam Bennett was called for high sticking with 8:21 to go in the second, giving the Devils power play a chance to get the team back in the game.
Devils took a tripping penalty with 1:57 to go in the second after Hamilton upended Sam Reinhart.
After two, shots on goal were 33-32 for the Panthers.
In the third, the Devils started to carry the play once again but couldn't convert.
"We had a great first, they had a great second. When you're leading by three, a team will sit back a bit and make sure you don't get any opportunities. We had a couple opportunities but couldn't finish," noted Ruff.
Devils captain Nico Hischier agreed with the sentiments of his coach.
"We really had a good first period but the second period wasn't good at all. Against a team like that, they scored on us. 4-1 is hard to come back but we played a solid third period. A lot of chances. No bounce for us today. We've got to learn from it and we know it's not going to be easy to win in this League if you don't play 60 minutes."
Midway through the third, Bernier made a nice stop on Bennett who skated in alone on a breakaway. Bennett tried to deke but Bernier spread out his pads to keep the puck out.
Shots on goal with 8:46 to go in the game were 40-38 for the Devils.
Radko Gudas took a tpenalty for unsportsmanlike conduct late to give the Devils a power play in the game's final two minutes. They also pulled Bernier to try and generate some attack but it was all for naught.
Final shot count was 46-41 for the Devils.
The game was the first in the career of Fabian Zetterlund, who was on the ice for the Dougie Hamilton goal. He finished +1 with three shots on goal in 9:33 of icetime.
"It was unbelievable. A dream come true for me and I think my whole family, too. It was special for me," he said. "I tried to play as hard as I could. I think I played well."
Coach Ruff liked how the winger played as well.
"Skated well, got to the net. Was responsible away from the puck. I thought for his first game, he held his own. He'll only get better."