Bobrovsky Leads Panthers In Shut Out Win Over Kings, Kulikov Plays Game 1,000

SUNRISE, Fla. — Revenge is best served cold and on the ice… at least in hockey. 

Exactly one week after the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Florida Panthers 2-1 at Crypto.com arena in Southern California, the Panthers returned the favor, defeating the Kings 3-0 Wednesday night at Amerant Bank Arena. 

Sergei Bobrovsky had 29 saves, earning his second shutout of the season in the win and Matthew Tkachuk led all skaters with three points (1G, 2A).

The Panthers improved to 30-19-3 on the season and jumped the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division. 

Here’s tonight’s takeaways. 

Kulikov plays career game 1,000

On Wednesday, Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov skated in his 1,000 career NHL game.

Kulikov, 34, was drafted 14th overall by the Panthers in 2009, playing 460 games across seven seasons with the Panthers before leaving Florida in the 2016-17 offseason. 

After playing 412 games — with seven different teams — between 2016-17 to 2022-23, Kulikov made his return to South Florida last season, where he would go on to win the Stanley Cup.

Kulikov becomes the 402nd player in NHL history to appear in 1,000 NHL games and the 13th in Panthers history to reach the milestone, playing 588 of his 1,000 games with the club. 

“It’s definitely a special, special game for him and a special game for us,” Bobrovsky said of Kulikov’s milestone. “It’s great to have him on our side and I wish him to play another 1,000.”

He finished game No. 1,000 picking up a secondary assist on Sam Bennett’s goal.

“That’s definitely not an easy feat, getting 1,000 games in the NHL, big congrats to him,” Bennett said of Kulikov. “He played great tonight as well.”

Bennett stays hot

When the Panthers hit the road two weeks ago for its four-game West coast road trip, Sam Bennett was riding a 20-game goal drought. By the end of the trip, Bennett had scored twice in the four games.

Returning to Sunrise with all-important confidence after snapping a quarter season goalless streak, Bennett continued his improved play on Wednesday night.

“He’s a real heart and soul kind of guy for our team,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said of Bennett. “He gets going again and now  they’re (the whole team) just playing, they look fast and they’re making the right plays instead of trying to force things.”

4:55 into the first period, Bennett opened the scoring, beating Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper for his 16th goal of the season.

Bennett has scored in three of the past five games.

Barkov gets on the board 

Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov entered Wednesday night’s contest without a goal in his past 13 games. 

Even if the goals aren’t falling his way, the team doesn’t worry too much since Barkov provides so much in all facets of the game.

“That’s it, we kind of just leave him — ok he’s missed 13, he’ll be fine he’s going to score one, it’s going to happen for him,” Paul Maurice said when asked about Barkov snapping his goal drought. “Defensively, as the leader of the group, to play against Kopitar and keep that group off the scoreboard, especially because they score heavy goals net-front… we were much better in front of our goaltender.”

Barkov was able to get the monkey off his back in the third period, scoring his 12th goal of the season with the Panthers on the 5-on-3 power play.

With an offensive zone faceoff and nine seconds before the first penalty expired, the Panthers ran a set play off the draw, with Aaron Ekblad crashing the net — drawing a pick on one of the Kings’ three penalty killers — Maathew Tkachuk shooting from the slot and Barkov lurking backdoor. 

Tkachuk’s shot narrowly missed the goal, but bounced right in front of Barkov, who extended the Panthers lead to 2-0. 

The Panthers executed the entire faceoff to goal sequence in five seconds.

Game Notes

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty made his season debut on Wednesday night. Doughty, 35, missed the first 47 games of the season after breaking his ankle in a preseason game. The veteran finished with a game-high 23:51 of ice time as in the first game of his 17th NHL season.

Matthew Tkachuk finished the game with a game-high three points. The Panthers forward had primary assists on each of Florida’s first two goals and capped the night off scoring his 16th goal of the season with an empty netter. 

The Panthers will have a few days off before they host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 1 P.M. ET in Sunrise.