Panthers win streak ends with 4-1 loss to Devils

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers nine-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday as they fell 4-1 to the New Jersey Devils.

From the drop of the puck, the heavily depleted Devils were on their A-game in Sunrise. 

Alexander Holtz and Jesper Bratt scored in the first period to give the Devils an important 2-0 lead.

This was the first time the Panthers conceded multiple goals in the first period since their Dec. 14 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

The beginning of the second wasn’t much better for Florida.

3:51 into the period, Erik Haula scored to give the Devils a three goal lead on just their 13th shot of the game. 

Florida didn’t have much going for them in the game, but one thing that could get some juice going was a power play — and that’s what they got.

The Panthers got their first man-advantage with 2:28 to go in the second. 

Sam Reinhart would score his 31st goal of the season and league leading 16th on the power play  with 33 seconds remaining in the period. Matthew Tkachuk extended his point streak to eight games with the primary assist on Reinhart’s goal. 

New Jersey led 3-1 entering the third. 

Florida pushed for the comeback in the final frame, but a strong performance from Devils’ goaltender Nico Daws kept the explosive Panthers offense out of the net.

Daws finished the game with 36 saves for his third win off the season.

John Marino sealed away an empty netter for the 4-1 win.

“That was a mature game by our team. That was hard, that was a heavy game,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “We weren’t at full speed, and I don’t hold that against them at all.”

The Panthers moved to 27-13-2 with the loss.

Panthers Notes 

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was selected to his third NHL All-Star game on Saturday. After being selected through the fan vote, Bobrovsky will join Sam Reinhart as Florida’s All-Star representatives in Toronto. 

The Panthers next game will be a 1 p.m. puck drop on Monday, Jan. 15 against the Anaheim Ducks.

With the Ducks in town, former Panthers’ defenseman Radko Gudas will be back in Sunrise for the first time in last season’s Stanley Cup Final. Gudas, 33, signed with the Ducks over the summer after spending the past three seasons with the Panthers (2020-2023).