Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker collide into goaltender Brandon Bussi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker collide into goaltender Brandon Bussi during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart scored extra-attacker goals in the final minutes to lead a furious comeback, Evan Rodrigues got the winning goal in the shootout and the Florida Panthers stunned the Carolina Hurricanes with a 4-3 victory on Friday night.
Brad Marchand also scored for Florida, which trailed 3-0 midway through the third and still was down 3-1 with less than five minutes left. The NHL said it was the first time Florida won a game when down by three goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
But with the teams playing 4-on-4, Panthers coach Paul Maurice pulled Sergei Bobrovsky for an extra skater. Bennett scored soon after to make it 3-2, and Reinhart connected with 41.8 seconds left to knot the game at 3-3.
It was Florida’s second three-goal comeback in less than two weeks. The Panthers also rallied from three down to top Columbus 7-6 on Dec. 6.
Sebastian Aho scored two third-period goals for the second consecutive game for the Hurricanes, whose five-game winning streak was snapped. Jordan Staal also scored for Carolina.
Goaltender Brandon Bussi — who was in camp with the Panthers this fall before being claimed by the Hurricanes — had 38 saves and lost for just the second time in 13 starts this season.
Marchand’s goal was his 20th of the season for Florida, making him the third-oldest player to reach that number with the Panthers. Jaromir Jagr did it at 43, Joe Nieuwendyk did it at 39. Marchand, in his first full season with Florida, is 37.
Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for Florida, which now has won seven of its last eight games.
CANUCKS 4, ISLANDERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood had three goals for his second hat trick of the season as Vancouver beat New York for its third straight win.
David Kampf also scored and Thatcher Demko had 21 saves to help the Canucks finish a sweep of the three New York-area teams this week. Vancouver won 2-1 at New Jersey on Sunday and beat the Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday. Demko was in net for all three wins.
Anders Lee spoiled Demko’s shutout bid with 5:05 left in the third period, and Ilya Sorokin finished with 26 saves for the Islanders. New York has lost two straight after winning six of seven, and snapped a five-game win streak at home.
Vancouver raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening period. Kampf scored his first goal this season at 8:55, Sherwood beat Sorokin at 10:35, then scored again at 15:47.
Lee scored his ninth of the season and 298th of his career in the third to get the Islanders on the scoreboard.
Sherwood scored into an empty net to complete his third career hat trick and get his team-leading 16th goal. He also had three goals Oct. 31 in a 4-3 shootout win at St. Louis.
Demko, who improved to 8-5-0 this season, made 23 saves in Tuesday’s shutout over the Rangers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
AVALANCHE 3, JETS 2
DENVER (AP) — Brent Burns and Martin Necas scored early and Colorado held on to beat Winnipeg for its fourth straight win.
Parker Kelly also scored for the Avalanche, who are 6-0-1 since their last regulation loss, a 6-3 defeat at the New York Islanders on Dec. 4. Scott Wedgewood finished with 20 saves.
Colorado has won 12 straight at home to move to 14-0-2 at Ball Arena this season with the 16-game home point streak the fourth longest in franchise history — and longest since going 20-0-2 in 2021-22. At 25-2-7 the Avalanche have 57 points — tied with the 2022-23 Boston Bruins and 2008-09 San Jose Sharks for the second-most in NHL history through 34 games.
Morgan Barron and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which has lost three straight (0-2-1). Connor Hellebuyck had 24 saves.
Trailing 2-0, Winnipeg got on the scoreboard with a short-handed goal with 38 seconds remaining in the second period. Barron chased a loose puck down the ice, skated across in front of Wedgewood and tucked a backhander past the goalie for his sixth of the season.
Kelly restored Colorado’s two-goal lead 1:58 into the third, deflecting a shot by Valeri Nichushkin past a screened Hellebuyck.Â
