Panthers fall in OT to Canucks, Lundell extends goal streak

SUNRISE —  JT Miller scored the overtime winner on Thursday as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime at Amerant Bank Arena.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist on the game winner while Teddy Blueger also scored for the visiting team. 

Jesper Boqvist scored his first goal as a Panthers while Anton Lundell extended his goal streak to three games in the loss. 

The Panthers were without star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk for a fourth consecutive game. They are 2-1-1 this season without them.

Kevin Lankinen had 26 saves in his first win of the season for the Canucks. Sergei Bobrvosky stopped 29 of 32 shots as he moves to 2-1-1 on the year.

Welcome to the NHL kid

In his 13th career game, Florida’s youngest player, Mackie Samoskevich, picked up his first career point on Thursday.

The shift following Vancouver’s opening goal, Samoskevich set up Jesper Boqvist — who buried his first goal as a Panther. The 21-year-old picked up his first career NHL assist and NHL point with the helper. 

“It’s something you definitely dream of,” Samoskevich said. 

In this early season, the former first-round pick has shown flashes of his offensive upside — specifically his speed through the neutral zone — which sprung him free on a breakaway in the second period. 

Lundell continues goal streak

Speaking of the Panthers’ youngsters, Anton Lundell extended his goal streak to three games on Thursday. 

While he’s still just 23, Paul Maurice considers the young Finn a veteran — noting the 221 regular season and 50 plus playoff games Lundell appeared in during his pregame press conference. 

With one minute remaining in the second, Lundell tied the game with his fourth goal in the past three games.

“It’s always fun to score,” Lundell said when asked about his goal streak. “I’m just trying to do my best. We have a couple guys away so I just try to step up and be the guy and try to be a leader.”

Last season, it took the then 22-year-old 43 games to score four goals — with his longest goal streak being two games. 

He needed just five games to hit that number this year.

Gadjovich leaves game, doesn’t return

After taking three shifts in the first period, Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich left Thursday’s game and did not return. 

Paul Maurice said that something tightened up and he didn’t have a full range of motion.

Already short staffed without two of their top forwards and needing a defenseman — Uvis Balinskis — to play forward, the Panthers had to run another game using just 11 forwards on the night.