Monday, May 3, 2021 07:00 PM (ET)

Aleksander Barkov scores in OT as Panthers edge Stars

Field Level Media
May 3, 2021

Aleksander Barkov scored a power-play goal with 2:10 left in overtime as the Florida Panthers defeated the Dallas Stars 5-4 on Monday night at Sunrise, Fla.

Tyler Seguin, Dallas' six-time All-Star center, scored a goal in his season debut to tie the score 4-4 4:06 into the third period. Seguin had offseason hip surgery.

However, after Dallas' Joe Pavelski was called for a hooking penalty in overtime, Barkov roofed a one-timer over Jake Oettinger's stick for the winning goal. Keith Yandle had the primary assist, and it was Barkov's team-high 26th goal of the season.

The Panthers (35-14-5, 75 points), who clinched a playoff berth last week, also got goals from Jonathan Huberdeau, Nikita Gusev, MacKenzie Weegar and Gustav Forsling.

Panthers rookie goalie Spencer Knight made 25 saves. The 20-year-old Knight improved to 4-0-0.

Florida also got two assists each from Owen Tippett and Grigori Denisenko. Tippett (2017), Denisenko (2018) and Knight (2019) are all former first-round picks for the Panthers.

Dallas (21-17-14, 56 points), already a long shot to make the playoffs, lost its fourth straight game (0-3-1) but did pick up one point.

Stars goalie Anton Khudobin, who made 11 stops, was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals. He was replaced by Oettinger, who made 27 saves and was perfect until he was beaten by Barkov.

The Stars also got goals from Pavelski, Jason Robertson and Joel Kiviranta.

Robertson, the NHL's reigning Rookie of the Month, added an assist. Robertson led all rookies in assists (10), points (18) and with a plus-11 rating in April.

Pavelski scored on the power play for his 22nd of the season. He leads the league with 13 man-advantage goals.

Florida led 2-0 just 2:42 into the game. Huberdeau scored on a sweet, forehand-to-backhand move as Khudobin fell forward.

Gusev then deposited a rebound off a Brandon Montour shot. Gusev's first attempt was blocked, but he kicked the puck to his stick to enable the goal.

Dallas closed its deficit to 2-1 on Pavelski's power-play goal. He took a pass from Hintz and roofed the puck over Knight's glove.

The Panthers regained their two-goal lead when Weegar scored on a blind drop pass from Tippett. But Dallas closed the first period on a goal credited to Robertson.

There was just one goal in a relatively quiet second -- by Forsling in the high slot on a pass from Denisenko 45 seconds into period.

However, Dallas tied the score with two goals just 11 seconds apart early in the third period, by Kiviranta and then Seguin. Kiviranta scored off a pass from Tanner Kero. Seguin backhanded a rebound off a shot by Denis Gurianov.

--Field Level Media

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