For the second time in three games, the Florida Panthers erased a four-goal deficit en route to a comeback victory on Tuesday. The Panthers rallied down 5-1 to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-6, in overtime.
With the win, Florida became only the second team in NHL history to come back from a four-goal deficit and win twice in one season, according to USA Today. The other leg of the historic feat came on Saturday when the Panthers erased a four-goal deficit in the third period to top the New Jersey Devils. The 1983-84 Oilers — who won the Stanley Cup — are the other team that accomplished the feat, though their two wins came a month apart. The Panthers did it in two straight games.
Star winger Jonathan Huberdeau capped off a five-point evening with the game-winning goal in overtime for Florida against Toronto. Aleksander Barkov had a two-on-one with Huberdeau and put the puck right on the tape of Huberdeau’s stick for the deciding tally.
Huberdeau’s five-point night allowed him to set a new Panthers record for points in a single season (102). He also became the first player in franchise history to record 100 points in a season and earned the milestone in a game where he had two goals and three assists.
Barkov registered four points on the nights, while Sam Reinhart had three points and recent acquisition Claude Giroux chipped in two points.
After the game was knotted 1-1 following the opening 20 minutes, the Maple Leafs scored the first four goals of the second period in the opening 8:40 of the frame to take a 5-1 lead. However, the Panthers were able to score five consecutive goals and take a 6-5 lead. Maple Leafs forward John Tavares tied the game at six when he converted a goal on the power-play, which ultimately sent the game to overtime.
“Obviously, we’ve just got to play better defensively. We know we can score goals, but it’s not going to happen every game,” Huberdeau told the Miami Herald after the win, then chuckled as he thought about what he just said. “We say that. It’s been happening.”
The win also marked the 24th comeback win of the season for the Panthers and they have now won five consecutive games. Prior to Tuesday’s contest, the Maple Leafs were the only Eastern Conference team that the Panthers hadn’t beaten.
