The scoreboard was unkind to the Florida Panthers last night as both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning won in very convincing fashion.
Toronto tied the Panthers atop the Atlantic Division with 87 points by battering the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Arena by a 7-2 count. The Maple Leafs are in first place by virtue of the second (ROW) tiebreaker. William Nylander and John Tavares each had two goals and two assists, and former Cat Anthony Stolarz made 17 saves. Toronto will open a three-game California road against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
The Tampa Bay Lightning used their game in hand on Florida to pull within two points of the Panthers and Maple Leafs. Nikita Kucherov notched a goal and two assists to pass 100 points on the season as the Bolts routed the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1 at Amalie Arena. The Lightning will host Florida’s next opponent, the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday.
Nicholas Zabaneh scored his first goal of the season as the Charlotte Checkers opened a four-game homestand by pounding the Providence Bruins 6-3 to move up to second place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. Captain Trevor Carrick and Ben Steeves each scored a goal and added an assist and Justin Sourdif, Jesse Puljujärvi and Wilmer Skoog also lit the lamp for the Checkers. C.J. Smith collected two assists and Jaycob Megna, Rasmus Asplund, Will Lockwood and Marek Alscher were also credited with helpers. Veteran Kaapo Kähkönen made 28 saves to get the win. The two teams will go at again tonight at Bojangles Coliseum.