5 TAKEAWAYS: Panthers 4, Devils 2

With Sam Reinhart leading the charge up front with a pair of goals, the Florida Panthers kicked off their road trip with a 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Saturday.
Picking up two big points, Florida improved to 15-13-4 in the standings.
"We needed an effort like that," Reinhart said. "It's games like that that kind of get the ball rolling and momentum going in the right direction. Hopefully we can build off that."
For a quick recap of the game, click
HERE
.
To read up on five key takeaways for the Cats, continue below.

1. REINHART STAYS HOT

Make it goals in three straight games for Reinhart.
After opening the scoring on the power play in the first period to make it 1-0 against the Devils, Reinhart found the back of the net again when he tipped a shot from Aaron Ekblad past Akira Schmid to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead with just 40 seconds left in second period.

"We got that lead going into the third," Reinhart said. "That's where we want to be."
During his three-game goal streak, Reinhart has produced six points (four goals, two assists) and a +4 rating while averaging 21:22 of ice time per tilt. In 22 games this season, he's tallied 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 32 games, with six of those goals coming on the power play.
In 24 career games against New Jersey, Reinhart has scored nine goals.

2. BARKOV EXITS

The Panthers did not escape New Jersey unscathed.
Already missing several players due to various ailments, Aleksander Barkov exited the game with a lower-body injury late in the first period and did not return. The injury occurred during a faceoff with Devils captain Nico Hischier, whose stick made contact with Barkov's left knee.
After the game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Barkov would have to be evaluated on Sunday before the full extent of the injury could be known. And with the Panthers not practicing on Sunday in Boston, updates on the status of Florida's captain aren't expected until Monday.
In 25 games this season, Barkov has notched 22 points (six goals, 16 assists). Playing in all situations, the former Selke Trophy winner also ranks first among the team's forwards in average ice time per game (21:33), takeaways (24) and faceoff win percentage (56.5%).

3. FORSLING FINDS ONE

It's only a matter of time until the secret's out on Gustav Forsling.
Doubling the lead for the Panthers, he collected a pass from Zac Dalpe before rifling a wrist shot right past Schmid from near the top of the right circle to make it 2-0 at 7:49 of the second period.

On the play, Dalpe and Aleksi Heponiemi, two players that have been chipping in regularly since being called up from the AHL, both put in some really great work to help set up Forsling's tally.
That work did not go unnoticed.
"Heponiemi, [Grigori Denisenko] and Dalpe were outstanding tonight," Maurice said. "They get to step into bigger roles against players they normally don't get to play against and get it done."
As for Forsling, he's registered three points (one goal, two assists) over his last three games to push his point total on the season to 21 on five goals and 16 assists. Flourishing in a bigger role with the Panthers, he's averaging a career-high 23:58 of ice time while skating on the top pair.

4. LUOSTARINEN STEPS UP

Maurice didn't mince words when asked about Eetu Luostarinen.
"He's kind of been a revelation for our team," he said.
After Barkov was knocked out of the game, Luostarinen stepped up to piece together one of his most-impressive performances to date. Skating 19:21 against the Devils, he recorded one assist, four shots on goal, four hits, one block, one takeaway and won 71% of his faceoffs.
Leading the team with a 61.54 CF%, the Panthers owned a 16-10 advantage in shot attempts when Luostarinen was on the ice at 5-on-5, per NaturalStatTrick.com. In that same time, Florida also led 10-4 in shots on goal, 13-6 in scoring chances, 0.74-0.35 in expected goals and, most importantly, 1-0 in goals.
In 32 games this season, he's registered 16 points (seven goals, nine assists).
"He's just so versatile," Maurice said. "He can play left, then throw him into the middle and he hasn't missed a shift. He kills penalties; we had him on the power play. For a young forward coming off the fourth line, there's still so much to learn about the game."

5. BOBROVSKY'S RHYTHM

Sergei Bobrovsky has found his rhythm.
Making his sixth straight start, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner turned aside 30 of 32 shots he faced against the Devils, including all 12 shots that came his way during the first period.
During his six-game string of starts, he owns a .923 save percentage.
"I feel good," Bobrovsky said. "I've got some rhythm, played some hockey. That's good for me. I like to play. I like to be there with the teammates and compete for the points because we need points right now."
Maurice believes Bobrovsky's uptick started the game before his current six-game run when he stopped 14 of 15 shots during a strong relief appearance against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 6.
"He's back and he's right," Maurice said. "Sergei really deserves the credit because he's in a difficult situation. He had a couple tough outings and then going into the net in Winnipeg seemed to get at little bit of his fight back. Good for him. It's not an easy thing to do, especially with his pedigree, to struggle and then fight your way out of it. He was good again tonight."
So good that teammates like Brandon Montour, as you can see in the below clip, were left in awe.