SUNRISE, Fla. _ It's called a trap game and the Panthers fell into it.
The pregame conversation in the Panthers locker room had to do with avoiding the common pitfall of teams coming up flat in the first game at home after a long road trip. The Panthers had been 1-3 with a total of five goals in such scenarios.
So after a franchise-best 5-0 road trip, captain Derek MacKenzie addressed the issue, but apparently his words were in vain, as despite overcoming three leads the Panthers fell 4-3 to the resurgent Edmonton Oilers at the BB&T Center on Wednesday night.
It was Superhero night in the arena, but apparently the Panthers couldn't handle their kryptonite opponents, who have now beaten them at home eight consecutive times (0-6-2), dating back to Florida's last win in 2002. The Oilers swept the season series, also winning 4-3 in overtime last month.
Tied at 3 after a five-goal second period, the Panthers got caught up ice as Oilers superstar center Connor McDavid led a 4-on-2 rush that ended up with open layup for defenseman Kris Russell for his first goal of the season with 7:58 left. McDavid's assist gave him a league-leading 68 points.
Panthers red-hot goalie James Reimer, getting his second consecutive start and fifth in the last eight games over Roberto Luongo, cooled off, allowing four goals on 35 shots for just his second loss in his last 11 decisions (8-2-1). His counterpart, Cam Talbot, had 31 saves for his 31st victory.
Not long after the Panthers third-ranked penalty kill lived up to its status, the Oilers took a 1-0 lead at 5:18 of the first period when Nick Bjugstad's attempted clear caromed off the sideboards right to Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom, who unleased a long rocket past Reimer for his 11th goal. McDavid provided the screen.
The Panthers best opportunity of the first period came with about five minutes left when Colton Sceviour threaded a needle pass to Shawn Thornton on the far doorstep and somehow Talbot reacted in time to snuff the shot, so Florida trailed 1-0 after one.
A boarding hit by Jujhar Khaira on MacKenize drew the ire of Thornton, who got into it with Eric Gryba, and gave the Panthers a power play at the end of the first that leaked into the second.
The Panthers wasted no time as 15 seconds after the center-ice faceoff, Aleksander Barkov scored his 15th goal that was set up by a blast by Aaron Ekblad that deflected off Jussi Jokinen.
Seconds after Jaromir Jagr's blind pass was mishandled by Jonathan Huberdeau, the Oilers broke out and after a long shift in their offensive zone against Florida's tiring top line, Gryba ended up with an open look after Russell clanged one of the post and he buried it for a 2-1 Oilers' lead at 10:26 of the second.
The resilient Panthers countered after Vincent Trocheck went down with an apparent shoulder injury on a check by Jordan Eberle, as his second-line replacement, Sceviour, took a pass from Jokinen in the slot and beat Talbot glove side at 15:53. Trocheck returned at the start of the third period.
Back came the Oilers after defenseman Alex Petrovic was knocked down without the puck, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gathered in a rebound of Milan Lucic's shot and scored on his second swipe with 1:01 left for a 3-2 lead.
The Ping-Pong match continued as after a makeup call gave the Panthers another power play, Keith Yandle's touchdown pass up the seam freed Jonathan Marchessault for a breakaway and a snap-shot for his 18th to knot it at 3 after two. It was Yandle's second assist and team-leading 31st of the season.
The Panthers' power play is ranked 30th at home, yet they scored twice on their first two attempts, marking only the second time they notched multiple PPGs at home (Nov. 3 vs. the Devils). They snapped an 0-12 drought at home where they last scored on Jan. 26.
