Panthers score nine, defeat Blue Jackets for fourth straight win
Sweep back to back with 16 goals in two games, 8-0-1 in past nine
By
Craig Merz
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
Florida scored 16 goals in the two games, including a 7-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Friday. The Panthers (26-7-5) have won four in a row and are 8-0-1 in their past nine.
"Confidence is a big thing in the NHL, and I can tell you firsthand that every guy in that room has a lot of confidence," Florida defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said.
Weegar had a goal and three assists, Anton Lundell and Carter Verhaeghe each scored twice, and Jonathan Huberdeau extended the NHL's longest active point streak to eight games with a goal and an assist. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves.
Gustav Nyquist had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (17-18-1). Elvis Merzlikins allowed four goals on 15 shots in the first 13:28 before being pulled. Joonas Korpisalo made 31 saves in relief.
"I think when their crowd starts chanting, 'We want 10,' and they're one away, I don't know if there's a more embarrassing feeling in hockey to be honest with you," Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski said.
Florida leads the NHL with 21 home wins (21-3-0). It has outscored opponents 45-15 in its past seven home games.
"The guys have been rolling," Bobrovsky said. "It's fun to watch and to be a part of this incredible atmosphere on our home ice."
Verhaeghe scored 46 seconds into the first period on a rebound of Weegar's shot to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Anthony Duclair scored for a second straight game to make it 2-0 when he one-timed Huberdeau's feed for a power-play goal at 2:07. Weegar scored shorthanded at 9:27 to make it 3-0.
The Panthers chased Merzlikins when Verhaeghe made it 4-0 at 13:28. On Thursday, Merzlikins made 31 saves and shut out the Carolina Hurricanes in a 6-0 win.
Florida outshot Columbus 20-9 in the first period.
"We should be embarrassed, period," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "There's nothing more to say about it."
Huberdeau gave the Panthers a 5-0 lead at 2:02 of the second period, and Lundell made it 6-0 at 12:10.
Nyquist's power-play goal at 2:11 of the third made it 6-1.
Sam Bennett responded at 3:40 to give Florida a 7-1 lead, and Lundell's second of the game at 7:33 made it 8-1.
"It's the best hockey team in the league, I'd say, just with how fast they are, how well they play structurally," Werenski said. "But it's one thing to lose hockey games. It's another thing to lose in that fashion."
Patric Hornqvist made it 9-1 at 10:14.
Boone Jenner scored 36 seconds later at 10:50 for the 9-2 final.
Larsen said he did not have an issue with the Panthers continuing to create offense late in the game.
"They played a full 60 (minutes)," he said. "That's what they're supposed to do."
Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said he knows it's unreasonable to expect the goal pace to continue, but the cohesiveness can.
"This group's an extremely tight group," Brunette said. "I've had people just watch them on TV that aren't around them every day tell me that, 'Hey, your group loves to play together.'"
NOTES: The Panthers are the first team since 2003 to score at least 16 goals in consecutive days (Jan. 10-11, 2003; Washington Capitals, 4-1 against Carolina Hurricanes, 12-2 against Florida). The Edmonton Oilers hold the NHL record with 21 goals on consecutive days (Jan. 3-4, 1984; 9-6 against Calgary Flames, 12-8 against Minnesota North Stars). ... Florida has scored at least four goals in nine straight games. … Weegar is the second defenseman in Panthers history to have multiple four-point games (Bryan McCabe; March 1, 2009, and Oct. 16, 2010). Weegar scored four points in a 4-3 overtime win against the Hurricanes on April 24, 2021. … Huberdeau has scored 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) during his point streak. … The Panthers have won seven straight games against the Blue Jackets and six in a row at home since Dec. 7, 2019. … Columbus has not won consecutive games since a three-game winning streak from Nov. 22-26. … Panthers center Aleksander Barkov extended his point streak to five games (three goals, six assists). … Blue Jackets forward
Cole Sillinger
was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol before the game. Forward Liam Foudy was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League and played 11:51 in his first game with Columbus this season. … Blue Jackets forward Alexandre Texier was minus-5 in 12:49.
