Brad Marchand scored twice and Sam Reinhart netted the go-ahead goal on his 30th birthday as the Florida Panthers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Anton Lundell added a short-handed goal and Sam Bennett also scored for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who bounced back from a 7-3 loss in Anaheim to earn their first win on their four-game West Coast trip. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots in goal for Florida.
Marchand continued his recent hot streak with goals in three straight games since returning from a one-game absence to support a close friend in Nova Scotia who lost his daughter to cancer last month. The veteran winger tied the game late in the first period after stealing the puck from Los Angeles goalie Anton Forsberg behind the net, then added his ninth goal of the season in the third.
Bennett opened the scoring just 2:06 in, pouncing on the rebound of Jeff Petry’s long shot to give Florida an early lead. The Kings responded midway through the first when captain Anze Kopitar — playing in his 20th NHL season — scored on the power play. Corey Perry then gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead with a highlight breakaway goal, set up by a pinpoint long pass from defenseman Mikey Anderson.
Reinhart tied the game in the second period, maneuvering into the slot and flipping a backhander past Forsberg for his seventh goal of the season. Marchand’s second tally extended the lead to 4-2, and Lundell sealed the win with a short-handed breakaway goal after a turnover by Adrian Kempe early in the third.
Forsberg made 19 saves for the Kings, who have dropped three of their last four games and continue to struggle at home — starting 1-4-2 at Crypto.com Arena after being the NHL’s best home team last season.
The game drew some star power in the stands, as several members of the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers were in attendance and received loud ovations from the home crowd.
The Panthers (7-6-1) will continue their trip Saturday in San Jose, while the Kings (6-5-4) head to Pittsburgh on Sunday to begin a six-game road swing.
Panthers: At San Jose Sharks, Saturday, Kings: At Pittsburgh Penguins, Sunday.
