Trocheck scores three goals to lead Panthers in 7-5 win over Oilers

Aaron Ekblad and Denis Malgin also scored for the Panthers (24-23-6), who have won five of their last six games.

“It was kind of a weird game,” said Panthers goalie James Reimer, who faced 32 shots. “It wasn’t exactly a goalie’s duel. I don’t think either goalie would be too excited about being in a 7-5 game. I just kept digging in and told myself to make the next save and hang in there.”

Patrick Maroon, Leon Draisaitl, Drake Caggiula, Anton Slepyshev and Connor McDavid replied for the Oilers (23-28-4), who have lost four in a row.

Oilers goalie Cam Talbot, who was peppered with 39 shots, took on much of the blame.

“I’d say about four of them I’d like to have back,” he said. “Any time you go out and score five goals, you should win a game every night. I didn’t give us a chance to win tonight.

“Every time I let one in, we got one back, but I just couldn’t find that next save to give us a chance.”

Florida opened the scoring on the power play with 2:14 left to play in the first period when a shot came off the boards and Ekblad banked it in off of Oilers defender Oscar Klefbom and past Talbot.

Edmonton tied it up less than a minute later, however, as Maroon showed some good hands to gather up his own rebound and then hook it past Reimer for his 14th of the season.

The Oilers took the lead early in the second period when Draisaitl was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down by Florida’s Nike Matheson on a short-handed breakaway. He made good on the opportunity with his 16th of the year.

The Panthers pulled even six minutes into the second when Malgin was left alone in the slot and scored on a shot that went off Talbot’s glove and in.

The Oilers surged back ahead midway through the second when Caggiula tipped in a Kris Russell point shot. But the Panthers replied just 23 seconds later on a goal from the slot by Dadonov.

Florida got another power-play goal 18 seconds into the third as Trocheck went in alone and beat Talbot.

Trocheck then scored his second of the game on another Florida man advantage six minutes into the third. Edmonton got a goal back from Slepyshev less than a minute later.

Florida restored its two-goal lead midway through the third when Dadanov scored on a penalty shot after being hacked by Matt Benning.

Edmonton kept it interesting with five minutes to play on a goal by McDavid, his 23rd.

But Trocheck scored his 21st of the season into an empty net to close out the game.

Notes: The Panthers play the second game of a five-game Canadian road trip on Wednesday in Vancouver. The Oilers begin a three-game trip in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Trocheck scores three goals to lead Panthers in 7-5 win over Oilers

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