• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Panthers come back to beat Maple Leafs

Dec 29, 2014 - 5:15 AM Sunrise, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - The Florida Panthers finished with a flurry, erasing a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 on Sunday.

Brad Boyes redirected in Dmitry Kulikov's wrister from the point on a power play for the go-ahead goal with 3:15 remaining.

Kulikov, Willie Mitchell and Scottie Upshall also scored in the third for the Panthers, who got 13 saves from Roberto Luongo.

"I thought we played a real good game," said Panthers coach Gerard Gallant.

Florida is 5-1-1 over its last seven games and extended its home win streak to four games.

James van Riemsdyk, Nazem Kadri, Richard Panik and Roman Polak had second- period goals for Toronto, which has dropped four of its last five games.

James Reimer allowed five goals on 33 shots. Starting goaltender Jonathan Bernier missed the game with flu-like symptoms.

"I think everyone was a little rusty," said Reimer. "We played well for the most part, just stinks we lost that lead in the third."

Kulikov scored early in the third to spark the comeback, and Mitchell's long shot from the left point went through traffic and Reimer's legs to tie it at 10:09.

An empty-net goal by Upshall sealed the win with 1:25 remaining.

A scoreless first period gave way to a wild second that featured six goals.

Reimer was the busier of the two goaltenders in the opening frame, making 13 stops to Luongo's three.

The Maple Leafs opened the scoring at 6:39 when Panik beat Luongo with a wrist shot from the right circle on a 3-on-1 rush.

Florida grabbed the lead with two goals in a 1:49 span. Jonathan Huberdeau tied it at 8:24, then Jimmy Hayes scored on a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Sean Bergenheim at 10:13.

The Panthers were unable to clear the zone, resulting in sustained pressure for the Maple Leafs and a tying goal from Polak at 14:16.

After van Riemsdyk tapped in Cody Franson's pass for a power-play with 2:30 remaining, Joffrey Lupul powered down the left wing and set up Kadri in the slot for Toronto's fourth goal 1:29 later.

Game Notes

Toronto's Randy Carlyle coached his 700th NHL game ... Forward Phil Kessel played in his 400th game for the Maple Leafs ... Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner played in his 200th NHL game ... Lupul registered his 400th point with an assist on Polak's goal ... The game was the third stop on a seven- game trip for the Maple Leafs.