Reinhart, Panthers hand Devils 5th straight loss

Sam Reinhart scored two targets, and the Florida Panthers handed the New Jersey Devils their fifth straight loss with a 4-2 victory at Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday. 

Aaron Ekblad had two assists, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the Panthers (15-13-4), who had misplaced three of 4. 

“We wanted an effort like that,” Reinhart mentioned. “It is video games like that that form of get the ball rolling and momentum moving into the correct path. Hopefully, we are able to construct off that.” 

Video: FLA@NJD: Forsling beats Schmid’s glove

Erik Haula had a objective and an help, and Akira Schmid made 25 saves for the Devils (21-8-2), who’re 0-4-1 throughout their skid. 

“Once more, we get behind proper off the beginning,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff mentioned. “Take a penalty, they rating a power-play objective. You have a look at a few the targets, they don’t seem to be targets we wish to quit. … What was the power of our group was actually how effectively we play defensively. While you begin to get somewhat pissed off offensively, you begin to cheat. 

“The spine of our recreation has been how effectively we play defensively. We will not get away from that.” 

Reinhart put the Panthers forward 1-0 at 8:54 of the primary interval when his backhand move supposed for Matthew Tkachuk deflected in off the leg of Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler throughout an influence play. 

“I favored our first interval an terrible lot,” Florida coach Paul Maurice mentioned. “I assumed we had a very good template of how we needed to play the sport. Then we obtained into somewhat hassle. After that, it was simply will. Grind, block photographs, spit it out, spit it in and get to the web.” 

Video: FLA@NJD: Reinhart’s backhander deflects in for PPG

Gustav Forsling made it 2-0 at 7:49 of the second interval, receiving a move from Zac Dalpe above the correct face-off circle and scoring with a wrist shot off the glove of Schmid. 

“I did not actually like our begin,” New Jersey defenseman Brendan Smith mentioned. “Give credit score to them. They got here out they usually performed a bodily, quick recreation. They had been on us. That is form of our recipe. We did not actually get to that till later within the second.  

“We hold recognizing groups these targets. It looks as if a number of it’s us doing it. … I am nonetheless constructive that we’ve it to get to that subsequent degree, however proper now, it is too laborious while you hold recognizing groups targets.”  

John Marino lower it to 2-1 at 11:27 with a wrist shot from the purpose after Bobrovsky was knocked down on the fringe of the crease. Maurice challenged the play for goalie interference, however a video evaluation decided it was the stick of Eric Staal that precipitated Bobrovsky to fall down. 

“We’re taking part in effectively. We simply hold recognizing the opposite group probabilities,” Marino mentioned. “These breakdowns are key. Shedding these video games, particularly tight ones like this, we hate dropping this many tight ones in a row, too. So simply must tighten that up.” 

Video: FLA@NJD: Reinhart ideas in shot from Ekblad

Reinhart redirected some extent shot from Ekblad to increase the result in 3-1 at 19:19. He has six factors (4 targets, two assists) in his previous three video games. 

Haula lower it to 3-2 at 16:30 of the third interval when he tapped in a turnaround move from Michael McLeod from under the objective line, however Carter Verhaeghe shot into an empty web at 18:49 for the 4-2 remaining. 

“Clearly, they’d a push, however I assumed our guys saved our composure,” Bobrovsky mentioned. “They labored laborious they usually shut them down. … Over the course of the common season, there are totally different circumstances and totally different hurdles. I assumed the fellows did an amazing job to compete and battle.” 

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left the sport with a lower-body harm after being hit within the left knee by the stick of Devils heart Nico Hischier off a face-off with three seconds left within the first. Maurice mentioned Barkov shall be evaluated Sunday.

NOTES: New Jersey defenseman Dougie Hamilton had one help and 6 photographs on objective in 25:01 of ice time in his 700th NHL recreation. … Florida defenseman Radko Gudas, who was a game-time resolution, missed his seventh straight recreation with a concussion. … The Panthers had been 0-for-16 on the ability play of their earlier 5 video games. … Tkachuk was held and not using a shot on objective in 19:03 of ice time after lacking the earlier recreation with an sickness.