Bizarre goal stokes a rally

After odd tally, Marchessault scores two in 26 seconds

Despite long odds to make the playoffs, Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe held a team meeting on Wednesday that included players, equipment managers and the medical staff, in which he told them to remain positive.

Thanks to one of the most bizarre goals in franchise history and two quick ones in 26 seconds by Jonathan Marchessault, the Panthers heeded their coach’s advice en route to a 3-1 victory over the 29th-ranked Arizona Coyotes at the BB&T Center Thursday.

The Panthers had lost 11 of their last 14, including 8 of 10 on home ice, but are now 7 points behind the Bruins with nine games left for the final wild-card playoff berth.

“We’re still in this thing. I expect everybody to come, play hard every single night and I expect everybody to stay positive,’’ Rowe said after Thursday’s morning skate. “It’s my job as head coach to make sure the guys are motivated.

“It’s been an awful year and everybody knows that. We had expectations to do a lot better than we did. We haven’t. Everybody can talk about the changes all they want. I told them that’s behind us

and we got to move on and we have to mature as a group. We got to get to the playoffs.’’

The Panthers trailed 1-0 after the first period on a giveaway by defenseman Mark Pysyk that resulted in a breakaway goal by the Coyotes’ Tobias Reider, his 16th.

The Panthers would score three unanswered goals in the second period while outshooting the Coyotes 18-4. The flurry began at 7:38 when from behind Arizona’s net, Panthers forward Colton Sceviour centered to Shawn Thornton outside the crease.

Coyotes goalie Mike Smith scrambled back into position as Thornton’s second shot headed toward him. The 6-foot-4 goalie pulled down the net as defenseman Jordan Martinook pushed it. The net landed on top of Smith, who looked like a trapped coyote.

After a review it was ruled it a goal, with NHL officials saying the puck had crossed the goal line before the net was dislodged.

That fired up the Panthers. Then Marchessault took a perfect pass from Aleksander Barkov for a goal to put the Panthers ahead 2-1.

Just 26 seconds later, Marchessault took a feed from Thomas Vanek for a one-timer and his teamleading 25th goal for a 3-1 lead. James Reimer made 23 saves.

TERRY RENNA/AP Arizona Coyotes defenseman Luke Schenn and goalie Mike Smith try in vain to keep Shawn Thornton’s shot from crossing the line.

TERRY RENNA/AP Panthers center Jonathan Marchessault, right, celebrates with Mark Pysyk (13) and Jakub Kindl after scoring.