Huberdeau sets Florida record in clinching win

Jonathan Huberdeau set Florida's single-season points record, and the Panthers clinched a playoff berth with a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Huberdeau scored his 24th goal to extend his point streak to eight games and raise his season total to 97, one more than teammate Aleksander Barkov's record set in 2019.

“He's a tremendous player, and he deserves it the way he's been playing,” said Barkov, who had two assists and is second on the team with 72 points. “It couldn't happen to a better guy.”

Anthony Duclair scored twice as the Panthers (4815-6) established a franchise record for victories. Winning for the seventh time in eight games, Florida closed a back-to-back trip by improving to 20-9-6 on the road.

“Obviously, to clinch, it's fun,” Huberdeau said. “The rest of the season is really important as well. Want to finish first, get home-ice advantage, and just to get good momentum into the playoffs.”

MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist for Florida. Anton Lundell also scored, and Spencer Knight made 26 saves. Claude Giroux had two assists.

The Panthers are the first team in the league to qualify for the postseason and have reached the playoffs in a third straight season for the first time in the 28-year history of the franchise. FLYERS 4, RANGERS 3, SO >> Kevin Hayes scored the only goal of the shootout and Martin Jones made 43 saves to lift Philadelphia over New York — just its ninth road win in 34 games this season.

WILD 5, CAPITALS 1 >> Joel Eriksson Ek scored his careerbest 20th and 21st goals of the season and added an assist, and Minnesota cruised past Washington.

Marcus Foligno built on one career-high with his 20th goal and set another with his 16th assist for the Wild, who have won nine of their last 10 games while earning a point in the other. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, CANUCKS 2, OT >> Shea Theodore scored 2:05 into overtime, and Robin Lehner returned from a lower-body injury to make 26 saves in his first start since March 8, leading the Vegas to its fifth straight win.

Vancouver entered the game seven points behind Vegas in the West, with both teams still battling with Winnipeg, Dallas and Nashville for the two wildcard spots.