By Canadian Press

Larsson scores 1st goal in a year, Oilers beat Panthers 4-1

Feb 15, 2020 | 4:19 PM

SUNRISE, Fla. — Adam Larsson scored his first goal since last February, Leon Draisaitl added an insurance goal seconds into the third period and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 Saturday night.

Darnell Nurse and Kailer Yamamoto had empty-net goals in the final two minutes for the Oilers, who have won three of their last four games.

It was the sixth loss in the last seven games for the Panthers, who are 2-6-1 since the All-Star break. Florida had entered the break on a six-game win streak.

Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen made 33 saves, while back-up netminder Sam Montembeault stopped 25 of 27 shots for Florida.

Larsson’s first goal since Feb. 19, 2019 put the Oilers ahead 1-0 at the 15:14 mark of the first period on a one-timer from just inside the blue line.

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That score was assisted by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has points in 12 of his last 14 games. Nugent-Hopkins has been pesky against the Panthers with 13 points in his last 14 games against them.

Draisaitl’s insurance tally, into a wide open right side against an out-of-position Montembeault, came just 13 seconds into the third period. It was the 33rd goal this season for Draisaitl, who has eight points in his last four games.

Draisaitl entered the game leading the NHL with 90 points.

The Panthers cut the deficit to 2-1 at 8:45 of the third period when Jonathan Huberdeau scored his 21st goal.

With his assist on Huberdeau’s goal, captain Aleksander Barkov moved into second place in assists (250) in Panthers history.

Edmonton came close to scoring midway through the first period, but Alex Chiasson’s breakaway shot glanced off Montembeault’s stick blade.

Florida got a scare five minutes into the second period when Barkov left the game after receiving a blindside hit from Edmonton’s Matt Benning against the boards. Barkov returned to the bench a few minutes later.

Things got a little chippy after the Barkov incident. After Noel Acciari mixed it up with Benning, the Panthers’ Josh Brown and Larsson dropped the gloves at centre ice. Both received five-minute majors.

NOTES: Edmonton RW Zack Kassian began his seven-game suspension for kicking Tampa Bay defenceman Erik Cernak on Thursday. … Oilers C and former Panther Riley Sheehan played in his 500th NHL game. … The Panthers commemorated Friday’s second anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings in Parkland with a pre-game ceremony.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Visit Carolina on Sunday afternoon.

Panthers: Visit San Jose on Monday afternoon.

Rick Menning, The Associated Press