NHL: Canadiens pull off comeback, shootout victory over Panthers

Cole Caufield and Alexandre Texier scored in the shootout as the host Montreal Canadiens completed a 4-3 comeback win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Ivan Demidov, Phillip Danault, and Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal (46-22-10, 102 points) in regulation, with Jakub Dobes stopping 30 shots. The Canadiens have now won nine of their last 10 games. Juraj Slafkovsky added two assists.

For Florida (37-37-4, 78 points), Carter Verhaeghe, Cole Reinhart, and Eetu Luostarinen scored, while Danill Tarasov made 29 saves. The Panthers have lost six of their last eight games.

Suzuki tied the game 3-3 with 21 seconds remaining in regulation, converting a pass from defenseman Lane Hutson into an empty net goal.

Danault had earlier tied it 2-2 at 6:22 of the third period on a snap shot during a 6-on-5 advantage with Dobes pulled. But Luostarinen restored Florida’s lead just 1:27 later by tipping in a shot from defenseman Gustav Forsling.

Reinhart had given the Panthers a 2-1 lead in the second period after winning a foot race in the neutral zone and poking the puck just inside the left post. Montreal’s Demidov had tied the game 1-1 54 seconds into the period with a one-time slap shot off a pass from Caufield during a power play.

Verhaeghe opened the scoring 9:23 into the first period, finishing a rebound off a shot by defenseman Donovan Sebrango for his 25th goal of the season.

Montreal also welcomed back Kirby Dach and Texier from injuries. Dach missed 11 games with an upper-body injury, and Texier missed seven with a lower-body injury.

—Field Level Media/Reuters