SUNRISE, FL – It took everything the Florida Panthers had to fend off St. Louis Blues in their return to Amerant Bank Arena, but they got the job done in overtime by a score of 2-1.
Hockey can be a cruel sport sometimes. One minute, you’ve dropped six goals in a Stanley Cup rematch. The next, you must endure a dogfight against a team with a losing record. But when the going gets tough, the odds should favor the Stanley Cup champions in the clutch.
Hear from Panthers head coach Paul Maurice following Florida's 2-1 win over St. Louis.#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/l4xQoihPWZ
— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) December 21, 2024
For the Panthers, their return to Sunrise was much needed. After a grueling road trip that spanned a couple of weeks, Florida came out of it scott-free, with a pair of wins over Edmonton and Minnesota in which they compiled 12 goals.
They wouldn’t have the same success on the scoreboard against the St. Louis Blues. Despite their 15-16-3 record, they laid it all out on the line on defense, despite giving up three goals per game on average. This battle came down to a defensive stalemate that couldn’t be decided in regulation.
Not Always Sunny In Sunrise
The first couple of periods were based on tough defenses taking the stage. It was one of those frustrating periods where Florida dominated the shots on goal, but couldn’t find an open net. Likewise, Bobrovsky was on his A-game early, denying a few breakaways.
St. Louis found their break off a backhander that tricked past Bobrovsky with 10 minutes to go in the first period. It’s a tough break for Bob and this Panthers squad, but they gave the Blues plenty of chances. Florida had 15 giveaways, shutting down scoring chances while giving St. Louis undeserved opportunities.
Florida found their answer in the second period from an unlikely hero. Defenseman Uvis Balinskis capitalized on a cross-net pass by Aleksander Barkov and nailed a snapshot that the Blues’ goalie couldn’t stop. Goals were hard to come by in this game, yet Balinskis notched his first of the season.
Hear from Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis following Florida's 2-1 win over St. Louis. #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/DSCElDXSs3
— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) December 21, 2024
Period #3 came and went in a block, which spelled overtime. To make a story short, it looked like we were going to shootouts until the Blues finally cracked against the Panthers. Barkov stole the puck and skated behind the net with less than a minute to go. To avoid an opportunity, Brayden Schenn committed a tripping penalty, and the rest is history.
Barky Gets The Job Done
Penalties in overtime are even more costly than in regulation. Down by a 4-3 man advantage, Barkov nabbed the puck, hesitated, and landed a one-timer that flew by their goalie into the net, calling the game. There’s no doubt about it, Barkov was magical in OT.
PANTHERS WIN!
Barkov with a one-timer to seal this game in OT!
FLA – 2
STL – 1#TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/Qjh00VLMgq— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) December 21, 2024
With the win, Florida improves their record to 21-11-2. For what it’s worth, they’re in second place in the Atlantic Division, just behind Toronto, though the season is still young. The Panthers will take on Tampa Bay in back-to-back matches right before Christmas. They’ll head up north on Sunday, December 22nd before hosting the Bolts the day after.
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