Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell, right, shoots at an empty net ahead of New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, left, during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Monday, March 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
NEW YORK (AP) – Ryan Lomberg scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Florida Panthers beat the New York Rangers 4-2 on Monday night in a matchup of first-place teams.
Sam Reinhart had two goals and Anton Lundell also scored as the Panthers won their fifth straight and 11th in the last 12 games. Florida leads the NHL with 42 wins and 88 points.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves to improve to 31-11-2 this season, including 15-6-1 on the road. The 35-year-old has 391 career wins.
Since Dec. 23, Florida is 24-4-2. The Panthers also have a league-leading 21 road wins and 44 road points.
Will Cuylle and Chris Kreider scored for Metropolitan Division-leading New York, which lost for the third time in four games. Igor Shesterkin finished with 25 saves.
In Monday’s late games, the Colorado Avalanche host the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Seattle Kraken visit the Calgary Flames.
Elsewhere in the NHL on Monday:
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BRUINS 4 MAPLE LEAFS 1
TORONTO (AP) – Pavel Zacha scored twice to send Boston to the road win.
Jake DeBrusk had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (36-13-14), who had dropped four of five. Morgan Geekie also scored, and David Pastrnak had three assists.
Jeremy Swayman made 32 saves for the Bruins, who are eight points ahead of the Leafs for second in the Atlantic Division.
John Tavares scored for Toronto (35-18-8), and Joseph Woll stopped 25 shots.
The teams play again Thursday in Boston.
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BLUES 2 FLYERS 1 (SO)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Pavel Buchnevich and Jake Neighbours scored in the shootout, lifting St. Louis to the win.
Neighbours scored between the pads of Flyers goalie Sam Ersson as St. Louis’ second shooter. Philadelphia’s Morgan Frost beat Jordan Binnington over the left shoulder. After the Flyers’ fourth shooter, Owen Tippett, missed, Buchnevich used a nifty move to score with a backhand shot.
Binnington made 40 saves in regulation and overtime as St. Louis earned its second straight win. Kevin Hayes scored in the second period against his former team.
Scott Laughton scored in regulation for Philadelphia. Ersson made 24 stops in regulation and OT.
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BLUE JACKETS 6 GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Alex Nylander scored three times, and the Blue Jackets posted back-to-back wins for the first time in more than three months.
Nylander has four goals and two assists in five games since he was acquired in a Feb. 22 trade with Pittsburgh. It was his first career hat trick.
Justin Danforth, Erik Gudbranson and Yegor Chinakhov also scored for the last-place Blue Jackets, who strung together two straight wins for the first time since Nov. 22 and Nov. 24. They beat Chicago 5-2 on Saturday.
Columbus goaltender Daniil Tarasov made 37 saves.
Mason Morelli, William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson scored for Vegas, and Adin Hill had 27 stops. The Golden Knights have lost three straight.
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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
