Alex Killorn scores in overtime as Panthers fall to Ducks
Alex Killorn got his second goal of the game 48 seconds into overtime as the Ducks defeated the Panthers. Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers, and Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves.
By COLBY GUY
SUNRISE — Alex Killorn got his second goal of the game 48 seconds into overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks fought back from a pair of two-goal deficits to beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 on Monday.
Adam Henrique had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who trailed 2-0 and 4-2 before handing Florida its second consecutive loss. Troy Terry and Jakob Silfverberg also scored for Anaheim, which got 29 saves from John Gibson.
Killorn hadn’t scored in his last 12 games.
“I didn’t even know he was on a goal drought,” Anaheim coach Greg Cronin said. “He had two huge goals, the last one being a game winner, and I thought he skated well tonight.”
Sam Bennett scored twice for the Panthers. Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for Florida and Anthony Stolarz made 21 saves.
Henrique also snapped an 11-game scoring drought for the Ducks.
Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left with 5:47 to go in the third period and did not return. He said it was a lower-body issue and expects to play Wednesday against Detroit.
Reinhart extended his goal streak to seven games, scoring nine goals since starting the streak on Jan. 2. He is the first player in NHL history to score a goal on special teams in seven consecutive games, scoring on the power play in six straight before adding a shorthanded goal on Monday.
“I can’t even keep track of it at this point,” Bennett said of Reinhart, whose 32 goals are the second most in the NHL behind Auston Matthews. “I think they said 32nd during the game and we were all looking at each other on the bench like ‘32 already? That’s pretty impressive.’ So, I’m definitely happy for him.”
Anaheim defenseman Radko Gudas received an ovation and a tribute video in his first game in Florida since leaving the Panthers in free agency. He spent three seasons in South Florida, playing 207 games with seven goals and 44 points.
“I didn’t expect that big of a support coming back, but it was great to see,” Gudas said. “I absolutely enjoyed the warmups and it was one of my favorite games of the year, just seeing the love from the fans that they still have for me, and the cherry on top is the win for us. But seeing the support I got here from the fans and even from the team, it’s going to be something I’m going to remember for a while.”
It was Anaheim’s second 1 p.m. Eastern — meaning 10 a.m. Pacific — start of the season. The other was Oct. 28, when the Ducks ran out to a 4-0 lead and won at Philadelphia 7-4.
Anaheim started the season 9-6-0; it was 5-21-1 since Nov. 15 entering Monday.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host Detroit on Wednesday night.
