Brad Marchand returned with a vengeance, producing two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist in the Florida Panthers 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena.

The Panthers opened the scoring 6:44 into the first when Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues worked behind the net to claim the puck. Verhaeghe sent the biscuit from low to high to Aaron Ekblad at the right point. Filip Gustavsson failed to glove Ekblad’s shot, which ticked off Ryan Hartman and appeared to be going wide, and Sam Reinhart pounced on the rebound to collect his 25th goal.

A tripping penalty on A.J. Greer put the Wild on a power play and they converted at 9:17 to tie the tilt. After taking a pass from Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov tried to go back door to Joel Eriksson Ek, but was thrilled to see the puck go off Ekblad and by Sergei Bobrovsky. Mats Zuccarello was credited with the secondary assist.

Marchand would pot his first of the night at 18:20 with Jake Middleton off for trippping. After taking a drop pass from Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart fired the puck around the boards where it came to Marchand on the left side. A determined Marchand cut towards the middle off the ice with Eriksson Ek in pursuit and shoveled a backhander past Gustavasson through a crowd.

Minnesota would get the only goal of the second period, taking advantage of another call on Greer at the 4:33 mark. Following a dazzling series of passes, Quinn Hughes centered to Kaprizov and he was denied by Bobrovksy. Unfortunately, the rebound came right to Eriksson Ek, who swatted it home.

The Wild would forge ahead with 8:51 remaining in regulation when Matt Boldy picked off an Marchand’s ill-advised pass and raced the other for a shorthanded breakaway goal. Ugh!

Florida would strike back 1:02 later, with Marcus Foligno stil in the box, to cancel out Boldy’s marker. After Gustavsson made a save on Reinhart’s weak shot in the slot, a sprawling Brock Faber tried whack the puck up ice. The attempted clear hit Marchand and came to Tkachuk and he slipped a pass under a diving Middleton to a wide-open Sam Bennett, who found the back of the net with ease.

The winning goal came three minutes into overtime off the rush, after a play between Hughes and Boldy failed to click. Carter Verhaeghe took possession of the puck and took off the other way with Marchand on his left. With Boldy trailing, Hughes decided to move over and try to poke check Verhaeghe. That gambit failed, opening up a lane for Verhaeghe to whip a backhander to Marchand, who finished on the forehand to give the Panthers the much-needed extra point.

Florida will get right back at it tonight. They’ll try to make it a perfect road trip with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center.

The Five Hole

After a seven-game absence, Brad Marchand earned First Star honors with his clutch three-point performance in St. Paul. The game-winner was his 22nd career overtime goal. Only Alex Ovechkin (27) and Sidney Crosby (25) have more.

After producing a goal and an assist, Sam Reinhart is tied with Marchand for the lead in goals (25), assists (24) and points (49). He matched Olli Jokinen’s franchise mark for most consecutive 25-goal seasons (five) with his first period marker.

With two helpers, Carter Verhaeghe also has a share of the team lead in assists. Verhaeghe was the only Cat to finish the game with a plus-two rating.

Sam Bennett’s 19th goal made him the third Panther to hit the 40-point plateau this season. Bennett has six goals and five assist in 11 January contests.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 18 of 21 shots and is now one of seven NHL goalies to have posted 20 or more wins this season.

Stat Card

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