Bjugstad making a winning case
Latest performance in win over Leafs impresses coach.
SUNRISE — Nick Bjugstad has carved out a spot among Florida’s top six forwards, and coach Bob Boughner expects him to stay there.
Bjugstad made a good case for himself Wednesday night.
The forward scored the Panthers’ only goal in regulation and the winner in a shootout as Florida defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1.
Bjugstad skated and held the puck until Toronto goalie Fred erik Andersen was sprawled out, moved well to his right and flipped in his goal during the fourth round of the shootout.
The Panthers won the tiebreaker 2-1 after Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida, and Patrick Marleau was successful for Toronto.
Barkov scored by skating to the left, pulling the puck to his right and flflipping a onehanded shot past Andersen.
“Those guys put time into that. It’s not a flfluke. Those four or five guys practice those moves. It’ s a huge goal for us,” said Boughner, who acknowledged he didn’t watch either Bjugstad or Barkov’s shots because he’s superstitious.
Vincent Trocheck and Henrik Haapala had assists for the Panthers (8-11-2).
Nazem Kadri netted a goal
for Toronto, assisted by Connor Brown and Marleau.
Flor ida goalie Roberto Luongo made 43 saves and Andersen had 42.
The Panthers controlled play in the fifirst period, registering the game’s first 11 shots, but neither team broke through until Florida scored on an odd bounce at 15:16 of the second period deep in Toronto’s zone.
Behind the Toronto net and with his back to Andersen, Bjugstad backhanded a puck that deflected off Maple Leafs defenseman Connor Carrick’s skate and then Andersen’s stick.
“I was just chopping at it, trying to get it in front of the net to Haapala, trying to feed him. It went offff a skate or a stick and was in the back of the net,” Bjugstad said. “It was a lucky goal but we’ll take it.”
B jugs tad has bounced from third-line center to second-line right wing this season, but Boughner said he needs the 6-foot-6 Minnesota native to play in the top six.
“I think he’s getting a little more comfortable on that right wing, and we need him to beat op-six guy and contribute of ff ff ff ff ff fens iv ely. He’s getting better and better ,” the fifirst- year Florida coach said.