The Florida Panthers have lived on come-from-behind wins -- perhaps a bit too frequently -- this season and, in a flash, they sprung another one on the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
Almost as quickly, the Avalanche delivered an answer, though, and the Panthers’ third-period comeback was for naught. Florida’s road woes continued with a 3-2 loss in Denver.
The Panthers have now lost 8 of 9 away from Sunrise with the only win coming Friday against the league-worst Arizona Coyotes. Even then, Florida managed only 23 shots on goal — its second lowest total of the season — and the Coyotes finished with more scoring chances and high-danger chances than the Panthers.
Although it was a loss, Florida’s performance Sunday was a return to its back-and-forth, high-octane offensive form. After taking more than 12 minutes to get a shot on goal, the Panthers ultimately outshot the Avalanche, and scored twice in 2:34 in the middle of the third period to quickly turn Colorado’s two-goal lead into a tie game.
After the Avalanche scored with 17:57 left to go up 2-0, the Panthers started to press and got a power play with 11:59 remaining. Forward Joe Thornton scored a power-play goal with 12:19 left to cut Colorado’s lead to 2-1 and Florida kept the pressure on. The Panthers got the next three shots on goal and defenseman Brandon Montour tied the game 2-2 with 7:45 remaining.
It only took 1:28 for Colorado to answer, though. Avalanche winger Andre Burakovsky fielded a long pass at beat goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for a hat trick, giving Colorado the lead for good with 7:17 remaining.
Florida pulled Bobrovsky for an extra skater with 2:18 left and got a power play with 1:18 left, but Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper made six saves in the final two and a half minutes to keep the Avalanche ahead.
Bobrovsky finished with 23 saves on 26 shots, but Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper outdueled him with 31 saves on 33 shots.
