Stars Beat Panthers
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SUNRISE, Fla. — The Dallas Stars, who were severely hurt by the Florida Panthers earlier this season, exacted some revenge Thursday night with a 4-3 shootout victory at the BB&T Center.
Center Colton Sceviour, in the third and final round of the shootout, scored the only goal of the session, converting on a backhand move.
The Stars tied the score 3-3 on a goal by defenseman Alex Goligoski with 7:39 left in the third period.
Dallas (29-26-10) moved past the idle Colorado Avalanche and out of last place in the Central Division. The Stars won only after replacing starting goalie Kari Lehtonen with backup Jhonas Enroth midway through the game.
Lehtonen let in three goals while making 11 saves. Enroth stopped all 10 shots he saw in regulation and overtime plus the three in the shootout.
“If you tell yourself it’s difficult, then it will be difficult,” Enroth said about coming in off the bench. “I told myself I was going to be fine. I prepared myself well for the game even though I didn’t start. I was pretty calm when they put me in.”
Florida (28-23-14) lost in its first game this season with goalie Dan Ellis, who was called up from the AHL after injuries to All-Star Roberto Luongo and backup Al Montoya. Ellis made 29 saves.
The Panthers are two points behind the Boston Bruins in the battle for the
final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
As for the animosity between the teams, it began Feb. 13 when a low hit by Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov took out Stars center Tyler Seguin, who was leading the NHL in points at the time but has yet to return due to the knee injury he sustained on the play.
“It was a dirty hit — I think (Kulikov) knows that,” Dallas center Shawn Horcoff said. “He put our best player out — one of the best players in the league — with a dirty hit. I don’t think anybody in this room is happy about it, and we’re going to stick up for our teammate.”
Kulikov was suspended four games by the NHL for the hit, but Stars left winger Curtis McKenzie handed out his own punishment Thursday.
With just 2:33 elapsed in the game, McKenzie took advantage of a turnover by Panthers center Jonathan Huberdeau and converted the opportunity into just his third goal of the season.
Then, with 7:36 left in the period, McKenzie dropped the gloves and pounded Kulikov with a vengeance. Both were sent off for fighting, and 17 seconds later, the Stars made it 2-0 on a goal by Horcoff that went in off of the stick of Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell.
Kulikov, who finished with one goal and one assist and was a plus-1 for the night, said he expected the fight.
“I wasn’t nervous — I was just waiting to see when it was going to happen,” Kulikov said. “I knew they were going to stick up for their teammate, but I wasn’t going to back down.”
Still, with Florida trailing 2-0, Panthers coach Gerard Gallant burned his only timeout with 6:12 left in the first period.
The strategy worked, as Panthers center Brandon Pirri scored with three minutes left in the first period. Pirri was sprung on the breakaway by a long pass from center Vincent Trocheck.
Kulikov got his goal with 11:45 left in the second period. He came straight out of the penalty box — he served two minutes for holding — and took a long pass from left winger Jussi Jokinen, beating Lehtonen on another breakaway.
Florida went ahead 3-2 with 7:32 left in the second period. Huberdeau made up for his earlier mistake, taking a pass from center Nick Bjugstad and beating Lehtonen while flying down the left wing.
Kulikov got an assist on the play, and Lehtonen was pulled.
The Panthers kept that lead until Goligoski tied it on a shot Ellis said was deflected, possibly by a Panthers player.
“I think it hit a guy’s leg and then went top corner,” Ellis said. “I tried to make a read, but I missed it.”
