SUNRISE, Fla. _ If the Florida Panthers continue to play down to their competition at home, the closest they will get to the Stanley Cup is in the parking lot outside the BB&T Center where it has been residing for the last two days as part of the traveling NHL 100 exhibit.
The Panthers, who began the day two points out of a wild-card playoff berth, have lost five of six at home, a recipe for early golf tee-times.
Despite another solid performance by goalie James Reimer, the Stars, already playing for pride, got a late goal from John Klingberg to hand the Panthers a 2-1 loss at BB&T Center.
Earlier this week the Panthers needed a shootout win to eke past the undermanned, white-flag hoisting Hurricanes. Similarly, the Stars, eight points out of a playoff berth, were sellers at the trade deadline and shipped out forward Patrick Eaves as well as defensemen Johnny Oduya and Jordie Benn.
They also lost left wing Antoine Roussel with a broken hand on Thursday, and Dallas entered with the most goals allowed in the NHL.
Apparently, the Panthers didn't learn their lesson.
However, the Stars still have plenty of star power, including high-scoring forwards Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, who teamed up on Dallas' first goal. The dynamic duo has notched at least 20 goals and 60 points for the fourth consecutive season, the only NHL teammates to do so.
"After the (5-0) road trip we saw the talent we had in this room and what we could accomplish, so there's no reason why we can't do it at home," Panthers center Nick Bjugstad said after morning skate. "There's no difference what arena we're in.
"(The Stars aren't) completely out of it and they will be fighting out there. Any team at this point, whether it's pride or for a playoff spot, teams work hard every night."
After a scoreless second period in which Dallas outshot Florida 15-12, halfway through the third the newly formed Panthers' line of Bjugstad, Jonathan Marchessault and recently acquired Thomas Vanek had a series of point-blank shots turned away by Kari Lehtonen.
Then with 67 seconds left Benn kept the puck in the zone, zipped it to Seguin who fed Klingberg for a rising rocket over Reimer for his 11th goal.
Tied at 1-1 after one, the Panthers' second-ranked penalty killers created their second breakaway of the game but Colton Sceviour passed when he should've shot. In the opening period, Derek Mackenize lost the puck on his breakout.
Still, the Panthers' PK has now gone 10 consecutive games without allowing a power-play goal (23-of-23).
Despite outshooting Dallas 10-4 in the first nine minutes, the Panthers failed to score on two power plays against the league's worst PK unit. The Stars took a 1-0 lead at 11:01 when Seguin and Benn broke out. Inexplicably, Panthers wing Reilly Smith let Benn alone outside the crease where he took Seguin's pass for a layup for a 1-0 lead at 11:01.
It was Benn's team-leading 24th goal, giving him five goals in his last six games. He also has four goals and nine points in five games in Sunrise.
The Panthers did click on their third power play of the period when Marchessault zipped a backhand, cross-ice pass to Jonathan Huberdeau in the middle of the right dot where he wristed it in at 16:20.
It was Huberdeau's fifth goal and 12th point in 12 games this season. Aleksander Barkov kept it in the zone for the secondary assist, his 12th point in 12 games (4-8).
Moments later Panthers defenseman Jason Demers rocked a shot off the inside of the post and out to end the first period at 1-1.
