Matthew Tkachuk’s 2 goals lead Panthers past Wild 6-1
Matthew Tkachuk’s 2 goals lead Panthers past Wild 6-1
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk, left, celebrates his goal with center Aleksander Barkov during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save on a shot by Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, left, and center Carter Verhaeghe (23) defend the puck from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, left, celebrates his power-play goal with left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, right, makes a save on a shot by Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, middle left, and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) compete for the puck as Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky defends his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers players get into a scrum after Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk’s (19) goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends his net against Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk, left, celebrates his goal with center Aleksander Barkov during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk, left, celebrates his goal with center Aleksander Barkov during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save on a shot by Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save on a shot by Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, left, and center Carter Verhaeghe (23) defend the puck from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, left, and center Carter Verhaeghe (23) defend the puck from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, left, celebrates his power-play goal with left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi, left, celebrates his power-play goal with left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, right, makes a save on a shot by Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, right, makes a save on a shot by Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is congratulated for his goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, middle left, and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) compete for the puck as Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky defends his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno, middle left, and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) compete for the puck as Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky defends his net during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers players get into a scrum after Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk’s (19) goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers players get into a scrum after Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk’s (19) goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends his net against Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends his net against Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk scored twice, Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves and the Florida Panthers beat the Minnesota Wild 6-1 on Wednesday night.
Aaron Ekblad added his second goal of the season to go with two assists, and Mackie Samoskevich, Niko Mikkola and Eetu Luostarinen also scored for Florida. Tkachuk has 13 goals this season and has scored eight times in his past eight games.
Marco Rossi scored his 12th goal of the season for Minnesota. He has five goals in nine games since joining the top line with Kirill Kaprizov after Joel Eriksson Ek was injured.
Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 shots while making his 1,004th career start, surpassing Patrick Roy for third all-time. Only Martin Brodeur (1,251 starts) and Roberto Luongo (1,014) have more.
Takeaways
Panthers: Florida was closer to being at full strength with Aleksander Barkov’s return after missing two games with an illness, but Sam Bennett missed the game with an illness. Barkov’s line with Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe generated plenty of pressure in the offensive zone.
Wild: Losses in four of six — and two in a row in regulation for the first time this season — have come with Minnesota dealing with its own short-handed squad. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Eriksson Ek has missed seven games in a row with a lower-body injury. Defenseman Jake Middleton was out for the third straight game with an upper-body injury.
Key moment
Tkachuk’s first goal with 4:32 remaining in the second came after Florida had a goal negated via replay for offside. He added his second goal 3:26 later after serving a roughing penalty.
Key stat
The physical Panthers had a 37-21 edge in hits and lead the league in hits with 942.
Up Next
The Panthers host St. Louis on Friday, while the Wild host Utah on the same night.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL