Panthers Clinch Victory with Five Goals in Third Period
On Tuesday night in Raleigh, the Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2, extending their winning streak to six games. The victory marked the Panthers’ first visit to the city since their Game 5 triumph in the Eastern Conference final last spring. The win represented the fifth of six outings the team has won in the current stretch.
Florida’s first goal of the match came from Niko Mikkola, his first of the season, giving the Panthers an early lead. In the third period, Anton Lundell scored 43 seconds after Mikkola and Seth Jones finished a power‑play effort to round out the scoring. The Hurricanes’ two goals were scored by Eric Robinson in the first period and by Andrei Svechnikov after he exited a penalty box.
Sam Reinhart recorded three assists, while Eetu Luostarinen and Aaron Ekblad each added two. Florida’s goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky posted 17 saves for his sixth consecutive win. The Panthers generated 15 shots in the third period, nearly double the seven shots accumulated over the first two periods.
Carolina suffered its third consecutive loss—its first three‑game skid of the season. Frederik Andersen returned from a nine‑game layoff, stopping 17 shots but remaining winless in his last seven appearances (0‑5‑2). The Hurricanes’ goal production came from Robinson and Svechnikov, the latter scoring on a breakaway after returning from a penalty.
Florida’s comeback mirrors a similar 3‑goal turnaround at home earlier in the week that finished in a shootout. The Panthers will open a five‑game home series this Saturday in a matchup against Tampa Bay.