The Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars each had two shots on goal in the opening period of their game on Saturday night.
Things got rolling once the second started.
Anton Lundell opened the scoring 19 seconds into the period with Brad Marchand closing a three-score second with 15 ticks left on the clock with the Panthers getting a nice 4-0 win.
Sam Bennett also scored in Florida’s three-goal second.
The Panthers (16-13-2) have won their past six games against the Stars — and eight of nine against goalie Jake Oettinger in his career.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves for his third shutout of the season; Marchand scored twice, and Lundell was all over the ice and had a multi-point night. Sam Reinhart had two assists.
Both teams came out playing a strong defensive game with those four combined shots on goal as proof. Dallas blocked eight shots in the first — and 18 total.
Only Lundell opened things up with a nice goal off the break early in the second with Bennett knocking one home off a Carter Verhaeghe toss to the net at 5:45 of the period.
Marchand got a power-play goal in the final seconds of the period to give Florida a 3-0 lead going into the third.
The Panthers are 2-1 on this four-game road trip which concludes on Monday in Tampa — and have won four of the past five overall.
NOTEBOOK: PANTHERS AT STARS
Marchand’s power-play goal snapped Dallas’ streak at 33 straight kills. Dallas had not allowed a power play goal in its previous 10 games, a run that dated to Nov. 25.
The Panthers were extremely aggressive on the penalty kill against the Stars and had three shots on goal shorthanded in their first three kills — holding Dallas to just one.
On its first two power plays, Florida outshot the Stars 3-0 (and scored a goal).
Florida took 26 shot attempts in the second; Dallas had 11 despite a pair of power play chances. Dallas had nine shots on goal through the first two periods.
Dallas had not trailed by 3 goals since Oct. 21.
Reinhart tied Scott Mellanby (344) for sixth on the Panthers’ all-time points list.
GOALS OF THE GAME
Panthers 1, Stars 0 (0:19 2nd): Anton Lundell drives in, loses a handle on the puck but recovers and pushes it past Jake Oettinger.
Panthers 2, Stars 0 (5:45 2nd): The Panthers, held to two shots on goal in the first, were peppering Oettinger before Carter Verhaeghe throws one to the net which goes off the shin of Sam Bennett and in.
Panthers 3, Stars 0 (19:45 2nd PP): Brad Marchand one-times a no-look pass from Sam Reinhart.
Panthers 4, Stars 0 (17:12 3rd EN): Marchand ices this one into the empty net.
FHN’S 3 STARS
1. Anton Lundell, Panthers
2. Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers
3. Brad Marchand, Panthers
ON DECK: GAME No. 32
FLORIDA PANTHERS at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
