Late lead slips away
Panthers lose their first game of year after leading after two periods
SUNRISE — During a 4-2 Florida Panthers loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday afternoon, the juxtaposition of Roberto Luongo’s game was undeniable.
He was there for the big stops, including a magnificent sprawling stick save in the second period to go with 32 total saves. But he couldn’t stop two soft goals from slipping between his legs, two pucks that found the back of the net in just the Panthers’ sixth loss since the All-Star break.
“Needless to say, I don’t feel too good about myself after tonight,” Luongo said. “I feel like I cost the team a win here.”
The loss was Florida’s first this season when leading after two periods. The Panthers en- tered Saturday 23-0-0 when they carried a lead into the third period, and led Edmonton, 2-1, after 40 minutes before the Oilers tallied three in the final period.
The Panthers failed to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They entered the game three points behind New Jersey with two games in hand for the second wild-card spot. They were four points behind Columbus and Philadelphia with three games in hand on both teams for the first wild-card spot. All three teams played Saturday after the Panthers.
After owing one of the league’s best power plays since the All-Star break, Florida could not cash in on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers went
0 for 6 with the man-advantage, the first time all season they failed to score with as many power-play chances.
“We had many chances to go up, 3-1, and we didn’t,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “You let teams stick around like that, that’s what happens. Could be goofy bounces, whatever. They tie it up and it’s a different game after that.”
Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson scored the game-winning goal with 6:13 into the third period by centering a puck from Luongo’s left. But the puck caught the back of Luongo’s stick, and slid between his legs. Boughner challenged for goaltender interference — Ty Rattie was stationed in the crease — but the goal stood after a brief review.
“I went down too early, and he held it,” Luongo said. “Once he threw it across, I tried to cut it off, but it went off my heel and in between my legs. Again, another goal that, that’s my fault.”
Larsson’s tally backed goals from Edmonton forward Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. McDavid’s tied the game just 38 seconds into the third period, turning and firing a wrist shot past Luongo.
But Nugent-Hopkins’ goal trickled past Luongo while Edmonton was shorthanded, sneaking through his legs to even the score at 1.
“It’s just a bad goal,” Luongo said. “I don’t know what happened exactly. It went underneath my glove and through my pants. Just a bad goal, no excuse for it. That shouldn’t go in ever.”
Rattie scored an emptynetter with 50 seconds left in the game.
For Luongo, it was an afternoon of highs and lows.
During the second period, Luongo introduced a crack to the crowd of 14,192 on hand for the Saturday afternoon matinee. The sound was a welcome one for Florida, signaling a stolen Oilers chance on a magnificent robbery.
Luongo had just fought off a shot from Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, challenging Nurse at the top of the crease before spilling a rebound to the open ice to his left. Anton Slepyshev raced to the dot to rip a shot on goal. As he did, Luongo shifted to his left hip, then to his stomach and reached in desperation with about three minutes left in the period.
Frank Vatrano was powerless to block Slepyshev’s shot, so the task fell to Luongo. He stuck his stick out and the puck found it, caroming off the heel of the paddle, inches in seemingly every direction from being a goal.
“It was definitely a save-of-the-year candidate,” Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck said. “One of the best saves I’ve ever seen.”
The save lit social media aflame and momentarily preserved a Panthers lead built on goals from Vatrano and Trocheck. But it came in a game marred by a pair of Edmonton goals that slipped through his legs.
Vatrano gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead on a breakaway with 12 minutes left in the second period, easily slotting a shot into an empty Oilers net. Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot abandoned his crease to race Vatrano to a loose puck in the offensive zone. As Talbot attempted a poke check, Vatrano eased to his left and buried his second goal in four games with Florida.
Vatrano had two goals in 25 games with Boston before the Panthers traded a third-round pick to acquire him.
Trocheck scored off the rush on a pass from Derek MacKenzie with 4:06 remaining in the second period. It was Trocheck’s 28th goal of the season.
The Panthers are 16-5-1 since the All-Star break, vaulting themselves back into playoff contention. They were 12 points back at the break.
The loss ended a fivegame homestand for the Panthers on a sour note, and marked Luongo’s second consecutive loss. The Panthers lost to struggling Ottawa on Monday before losing to bottoming Edmonton on Saturday.
“The last two games are not good,” Luongo said. “Lost both games, and when that happens, you don’t feel too good about yourself.”
“We had many chances to go up, 3-1, and we didn’t. You let teams stick around like that, that’s what happens.” Bob Boughner, Panthers coach