Playing in Sunrise for the first time in over two weeks, the Florida Panthers put on an exciting show for their home fans.

It was the Cats third game in four nights and it came on the second night of a back-to-back that begin on Saturday in Washington D.C.

Despite the Panthers falling behind early, they were able to find their groove and earn a thrilling comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning 4-3 in a shootout.

The two points come at a great time for Florida because they’re now going to be off until Friday.

Going into a four-day break between games after a big win is a much better feeling than going into it having lost five of seven.

Instead, the Panthers maintain their spot atop the Atlantic Division thanks to their sixth straight win at Amerant Bank Arena.

Let’s get to Sunday’s takeaways:

BIT OF A SLOW START

Based off the opening 20 minutes, this did not appear to be Florida’s night.

They were outshot by the Penguins 16-4 during the first period and were down 2-1 when the buzzer sounded.

Pittsburgh came into the game seven points back of the final Wild Card spot with 11 games to play, so their margin for error is microscopic, and that’s how they played after the puck dropped on Sunday.

Fortunately for Florida, the veteran group was able to collect and compose themselves before coming back out and looking much more like the usual Panthers.

“It's not easy, they come out so fast and their sticks are world class with some of the players that they have,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Back-to-backs are not easy in this league, in my mind, anyway, especially because we got in a little later than I thought we would, so we were slow in the first (period) and then Barky (Sasha Barkov) throws a hit on the first shift of the second period, and after that, our game just rounded and we got better, so on back-to-back, really, really happy with the way they fought for it.”

EXCELLENT GOALTENDING ON BOTH SIDES

On a night where six goals were scored (outside of the shootout), the talk afterwards was still about the goaltenders.

Tristan Jarry was excellent for Pittsburgh throughout, particularly as the game moved into the second and third periods when Florida threw 24 shots at the Penguins net.

He stopped all five of Florida’s high danger shots, as well.

Not to be outdone, Sergei Bobrovsky became a wall for the Panthers during the second half of the game and through the shootout.

Bob finished with 24 saves, including four high danger shots and all three Penguins shootout attempts.

“(Jarry) made three or four really impressive saves in there, in think, to keep us from taking that game in regulation, but really good goaltending,” said Maurice. “And then Sergei was, I mean, none of those saves are easy in the shootout, so both goalies had a piece of it.”

ANOTHER SHOOTOUT BEAUTY FROM BARKOV

Speaking of the shootout, how about that Sasha Barkov guy?

The latest skills competition gem by Barkov ended up being the only goal scored during the shootout, but thanks to the aforementioned brilliance of Bobrovsky, it was enough to push the Panthers over the finish line and pick up the two points.

After picking up the puck at center ice and making several stickhandles as he crossed into the Pittsburgh zone, Barkov suddenly sped up his pace significantly, quickly moving in on Jarry and sending a backhand shot between his legs before the veteran goaltender could get set.

Only 1 goal in the shootout and of course it belonged to Aleksander Barkov 😮‍💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/1qwLV7eo6f

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 24, 2025

“I don't even know how it went in,” Maurice said with a smile. “Like it's on, and I can't follow the moves, and then I don't know when he shot it. All I know is the puck's coming back out. I don't know if the goalie saved it or if it hit the back of the net, that's how fast that is. I can't imagine what it's like. I think his strength there is that I think he's got a whole bunch of them, like he's not married to one move, so, yeah, pretty good.”

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Upon their arrival in Sunrise, FL, the Pittsburgh Penguins had one task: to spoil any plans, the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, had to get closer to clinching a playoff spot.

Despite the Penguins' best efforts, including two goals from Bryan Rust and 27 saves from Tristan Jarry, the visitors blew a one-goal lead late in the third period before losing 4-3 in a shootout. 

Although Pittsburgh didn't get the two points, they picked up one and inch closer to the 70-point plateau. What went right, and what went wrong in Florida? Let's discuss.

Jarry Unable to Secure Lead in the Third Period

Last Tuesday, Jarry snapped his four-game win streak by giving up three third-period goals, leading the New York Islanders to a come-from-behind victory. 

On Friday, Alex Nedeljkovic played against the Columbus Blue Jackets and backstopped the Penguins to a convincing 6-3 win. Against the Panthers, Jarry was spectacular in some moments and shaky in others.

 

3 Takeaways From Brutal Loss To IslandersThe Pittsburgh Penguins (28-30-10) had a good thing going until it all came crashing down in 20 minutes during the third period of their 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena. 

Although every shot or shot attempt is recorded, no one tracks how many pucks get past a goalie during a game. If they did, we'd see that Jarry was saved by the post and crossbar and just lucky that pucks that snuck under his arm or pad found their way into the corner.

Ultimately, goalie coaches everywhere will wonder what maneuver Jarry was attempting on the game-tying goal. It wasn't a butterfly or street hockey save; it was ugly. 

Penguins Top Guns Are Firing on All Cylinders

On Sunday, Evgeni Malkin scored the second straight game; Rust had two goals and was buzzing all night looking for his seventh career hat trick. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby is just two points shy of setting an NHL record for 20 seasons with a point-per-game average, and Rickard Rakell had an assist.

Collectively, the foursome are the top offensive players in the Pittsburgh lineup, and when the Stanley Cup champions are on the schedule, they need their best to play at their best. 

Penguins: Sidney Crosby's Chase Of Wayne Gretzky's NHL Point-Per-Game RecordPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on pace to break a Wayne Gretzky record many people thought would never fall; most seasons (19) averaging a point-per-game average. 

Despite Crosby not registering a shot on goal for only the 10th time this season, he was all over the scoresheet and significantly impacted the game. 

Although the Penguins got points from their best, the Panthers eventually won because their best was also productive. Whether it was Sam Reinhart with two goals or Aleksander Barkov with the shootout winner, the champs showed they still plan on defending deep into the spring.

More Opportunities on the Horizon

Head coach Mike Sullivan should return to Nedeljkovic for the Penguins' Tuesday night game with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Moreover, depending on how that game unfolds, the bottom six skaters should get extra ice time to showcase their abilities.

In a rare move by the veteran bench boss, Sullivan sent out Blake Lizotte and Philip Tomasino in overtime, giving them a chance to impact the game instead of relying on his superstars to win it.

Penguins Players Still Chasing Milestones In Final Month Of 2024-25 SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins only have 11 games left in their 2024-25 season. Although this year's club most likely won't qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, many players in the lineup still have milestones to play for.

In the end, fans were treated to one fun overtime session with glorious scoring chances at each end. The Penguins and Panthers took advantage of long shifts and used every tool in their arsenal to light the lamp but to no avail. 

Considering the Penguins playoff hopes are just a dream at this point, once some big names reach their milestones, it's time to let the kids play, which could also yield some exciting and entertaining hockey in the final days. 

ST. LOUIS – Dalibor Dvorsky’s father, Dalibor Sr., was all set to return to his native Slovakia.

The elder Dvorsky had come to the United States to visit his son, playing and playing well for the St. Louis Blues’ American Hockey League team, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Until an unexpected change of plans that came on Saturday night.

Instead of returning to Slovakia, Dvorsky’s father, like Dalibor, were booking flights to St. Louis, because Dalibor was being summoned to the NHL for the first time when the Blues recalled the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“It was awesome. Good timing, because he was about to go back home to Slovakia today,” Dalibor said of his father. “He was visiting me in Springfield. Amazing timing that I got called up at this time.

“Yeah, he had to change the one (flight), but I didn’t think he minded it.”

Dvorsky made his Blues debut on Sunday in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators and played 10:40 centering the third line with Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier.

Dvorsky, who was having a solid season in Springfield with 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games, including 10 power-play goals, was needed in St. Louis. With Pavel Buchnevich out with illness and Oskar Sundqvist banged up needing a maintenance day to recover and Texier, who was the lone healthy forward, already in the lineup, the Blues needed reinforcements.

It was time to give Dvorsky a look.

“It was awesome,” Dvorsky said. “I’ve obviously been dreaming about it for a long time. I enjoyed every second of it. It was amazing.

“It was a little bit of a shock (to get called up), I’m not going to lie. I didn’t really expect it, but obviously an awesome feeling. I’m real happy to be here.”

Dvorsky, who was given Kelly Chase’s pads as player of the game, has been a highly-anticipated prospect, one of the more highly anticipated ones since the Blues drafted Robert Thomas in 2017. Once fans got wind that he would be making his debut on Sunday, they wanted to be there for his rookie lap.

“The crowd was amazing. It was awesome, and the first rookie lap also,” Dvorsky said. “All the guys in the room were great. Unbelievable experience and I’ll never forget it and also the crowd was amazing. I loved every second of it.”

For a first game, Dvorsky seemed to fit in. When the puck touched his stick, he didn’t get overwhelmed. Instead, he made smart, decisive, calm plays with it.

“I liked him,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “(He) did really good. Made plays, moved pucks on first touch, which is a sign. That play that he makes on the power play that leads to the goal, it’s high end. It’s a good start to his career.

“He knew what he was going to do with the puck before he got it. That’s usually a sign for really good hockey sense.”

When Texier scored at 16:57 of the first period to give the Blues a 2-0 lead with the power-play goal, Dvorsky started the sequence with a puck retrieval, moved it to Zack Bolduc in the bumper, who found Thomas in the left circle before he wired a puck to the low crease area for Texier to tap in on the backhand.

“Smart, really patient with the puck,” Thomas said of Dvorsky. “I thought he showed a lot of poise with it. He made a couple really good backhand passes and then that power play goal, he’s under pressure, he makes a calm play to the middle to ‘Boldy’ and those are things that especially in your first game, to have that kind of patience is really impressive.”

As for hockey smarts, they were evident right from the get-go.

“There was a play that won’t show up on tape, but I’ll explain it,” Faulk said after the game on FDSNMW. “In the second period, there was a play where the puck was getting chipped into the neutral zone and all he did was hold up their third man that was trying to join the rush. He just held him up a little bit and made it a 2-on-2 (instead of) a 3-on-2. That’s a play that shows you have some hockey smarts. It’s tough to learn that. A lot of guys are just worried about the puck, trying to make plays. It’s a selfless play. It doesn’t help himself at all. But it makes the (defensemen’s) job and everyone else a lot easier. I was really impressed to see a play like that happen in his first game.”

Montgomery told Dvorsky before the game to just do what he does best and not be something he’s not, which really helped Dvorsky stay composed.

“It was great that he told me that,” Dvorsky said. “I felt more loose obviously. The hockey’s different, but I just did my best every shift to help the team win.”

Including serve a five-minute major that Bolduc was called for in the third period for cross checking Nashville defenseman Nick Blankenburg for what he thought was an attempt to go at Thomas’s knee near center ice.

“I didn’t really mind it honestly,” Dvorsky said. “It was alright.”

Now that he’s here, and it’s really all up to the Blues how long he stays here, Dvorsky needs to get up to speed with the NHL game, which is much faster than that of the AHL.

“It’s obviously different in the AHL,” he said. “I had to adjust to it a little bit. The pace is faster. The players, the opponents are better. It’s a little different.”

But Dvorsky seems to have willing teammates there to help with the process.

“A lot of guys. The guys were amazing. All of them, they said to play my game, not to feel any pressure and just enjoy the day,” Dvorsky said. “The guys made it so much easier. They were really nice to me and they helped me a lot today.”

And now that he’s in St. Louis, his dad plans on staying – for the time being.

“Yeah, I think so, he’ll probably stay,” Dvorsky said.

The Vegas Golden Knights completed a 3-0 sweep of their three-game homestand by knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Sunday night.

Nic Roy, Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel and Nic Hague all scored while Ilya Samsonov made 36 saves for Vegas.

that poor puck 🚀 pic.twitter.com/3OCqGVEge3

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 24, 2025

The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights moved five points in front of the idle Edmonton Oilers, both with 12 games to play.

The Golden Knights are now enjoying an 11-3-2 run since Feb. 6, and carry their momentum on the road for three games, as they're set to visit Minnesota, Chicago and Nashville next week.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

TOMAS HURT-L: Hertl, who scored his team-leading 31st goal of the season, left the game late in the third period when he crashed into the end boards after being shoved by Tampa Bay defenseman Emil Lilleberg. Hertl raced in on a breakaway, but was stonewalled by Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. As Hertl went to gather the rebound to his left, Lilleberg pushed him into the boards. Hertl immediately skated off the ice and into the locker room and did not return. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said he was being evaluated after the game and will be re-evaluated in the morning. The Golden Knights are scheduled to leave for Minneapolis/St. Paul on Monday morning.

Here's the replay of the Tomas Hertl injury. pic.twitter.com/qRGzGYYEWJ

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) March 24, 2025

WHAM BAM THANK YOU SAM: Samsonov snapped a two-game skid with one of his best performances of the season, considering the opponent and the offensive threat the Lightning can be at times. Tampa Bay's 38 shots tied for the team's sixth-most this season. It was the third-most shots Samsonov has faced this season.

"He was solid," Cassidy said. "I thought he was really under control, they're a volume shooting team. I thought we protected against the odd-man rush type of chances for the most part. But there's a lot of stuff coming to the net. They rotate pucks well, they get three-high with traffic. So he was able to fight through that and find all the pucks, and then we're able to help him out with the clears and box out."

PLAYOFF PREVIEW: If the playoffs were to start Monday, the Golden Knights would host Minnesota in the opening round of the playoffs, as the Wild are currently hold the No. 1 wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The teams will meet for the final team in the regular season on Tuesday in St. Paul. The Knights won the first two meetings, 3-2 in Minnesota on Dec. 15 and 4-1 on Jan. 12 in Vegas. The teams met in the 2021 postseason, when the Golden Knights took the seven-game series, 4-3.

"It's massive. We might play them down the stretch, so we gotta impose (our) game and show we can do against them," Roy said. "But right now we really want to focus on getting that first seed in the division, the home ice advantage. That's our goal, so we're gonna keep pushing for that."