Panthers score seven goals, combine with Canadiens for 10 in record-setting first period
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The Florida Panthers have had a tradition in their last few, high-octane seasons: Every time they score their fifth goal, the sweet sounds of Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5” wash over FLA Live Arena to celebrate a surprisingly common feat.
On Thursday, Bega’s No. 1 hit played with 9:27 still left in the first period and the scoring didn’t stop. A few minutes later, the Panthers set a franchise record for most goals in a period and teamed up with the Montreal Canadiens for the NHL’s highest scoring period since the high-scoring 1980s. They’d go on to rout the Canadiens, 9-5.
When the final whistle blew on the first period and both teams headed back to their locker rooms for the first intermission, Florida led 7-3. It was only the 10th time in NHL history two teams combined for at least 10 goals in a period and the first since the Blackhawks and Blues did it in 1988.
“It’s almost ‘Twilight Zone,’” coach Paul Maurice said.
It was also only the second time in Panthers history with more than five goals in a period. The previous franchise record for goals in a period was six, set against the Bruins in 2000.
Despite its seven-goal period, Florida (34-27-7) only had three players with multiple points: forward Carter Verhaeghe with two goals, and All-Star right wing Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Josh Mahura each with two assists.
Tkachuk ultimately led all scorers with four points, and All-Star center Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad each eventually tallied two points.
The period started wacky. It took just 16 seconds for last-place Montreal (27-36-6) to beat star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with a snipe from the point — from former Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson, of all people — and Florida was in the lead all of 3:01 later after goals by forwards Colin White and Verhaeghe just 34 seconds apart.
From there, the Panthers and Canadiens traded goals until it was knotted at three with 11:42 still left in the first. Bobrovsky still hadn’t made a save — he allowed three goals on the first three shots he faced — and the crowd of 17,372 erupted for him when he covered up a bouncing puck with 8:05 left in the period.
The goalie, however, wasn’t technically credited with a save until he made a stop with 7:49 left in the opening period. Nine seconds later, Sam Reinhart scored Florida’s record-tying sixth goal to put the Panthers up by three and Verhaeghe gave them the record less than a minute later when he scored with 6:42 left in the first.
With 10 goals in just 13:18, Florida and Montreal were the fastest ever to 10 combined goals.
Although they were within striking distance for the NHL record of 12 combined goals in a period, the Panthers and Canadiens didn’t score for the rest of the period and settled for just tying the league record for most combined goals in a first period.
Florida finished the period with 18 shots, 13 scoring chances and eight high-danger chances.
“There were more goals than chances to score,” Maurice said and he wasn’t far off. “Anything that comes out of my mouth is me making stuff up because I’m still not sure what I saw.”
As strange as it was, the win was still meaningful for the Panthers. They’re back within three points of a postseason spot and still have two games in hand on the Islanders, who currently hold the second wild card.
They remain in control of their own destiny, made up ground on the seventh-place Penguins — Pittsburgh is tied with New York in points, albeit with two fewer games played — and now have a greater than 50 percent chance to make the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.
