"Just trying to get chemistry," DeBrusk said. "I've been with [Krejci] for most of the year and we've had [Ryan] Spooner there, Rick Nash there, and now Donato. We're just trying to talk out there, communicate, and try and make the game easier. It was nice to be a part of a winning effort and being able to contribute."
Jamie McGinn put the Panthers ahead 1-0 at 4:59 of the first period with a shot from the right side of the slot. Nick Holden tied it 1-1 with a tip-in after a backdoor drive to the net and a cross-ice pass from Krejci at 11:15. Krejci skated to the top of the right circle and spun the pass to the front of the net without looking.
"The way they play their [defensive] zone, they're man on man. We had talked about it before, just create motion and [Krejci] was going up the wall and Adam [McQuaid] was sliding to the middle," Holden said. "So I just took the wide side and luckily their forward was kind of sleeping a little bit and [Krejci] made an unbelievable pass."
DeBrusk scored at 14:06 for a 2-1 lead after a pass from behind the net by Donato, whose goal from the high slot 1:32 into the second period made it 3-1.