The chants of “We want 10!” were long gone and the Florida Panthers were just trying to survive against the Philadelphia Flyers after their four-goal lead in the first period shrunk to one in the third. They needed some breathing room and, with a whistle, they got their relief.
For the first time since the first period, the Panthers went on the power play. It has come and gone for them throughout the season. Lately, it has been a machine and never more so than Thursday. With 13:01 left, Anthony Duclair fired a centering pass from the edge of the right faceoff circle, into traffic, off a Flyer and past Carter Hart for a badly needed insurance goal. Florida could breathe again and hang on for a 6-3 win in Sunrise.
For the fifth time in six games, the Panthers scored multiple goals on the power play, and their three-goal outing was only their second of the season and first since January. It has been the fuel for this five-game winning streak — now their longest since they began the year with eight straight wins — and has helped Florida vault back into first place in the Eastern Conference after a three-game losing streak last month sent the Panthers tumbling from the top of the standings. Since the skid ended, Florida has gone 10 of 20 with the extra man, following a 2-of-5 performance in a loss to the Edmonton Oilers last month.
