AP

Panthers remain red-hot, roll past Blue Jackets 9-2

Jan 15, 2022, 3:36 AM | Updated: 6:17 pm

Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) celebrates his 100th NHL goal during the first pe...

Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) celebrates his 100th NHL goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)


              Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Florida Panthers left wing Anthony Duclair (10) attempts a shot at Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) and center Alexandre Texier (42) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets center Liam Foudy (19) and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad, right, battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) attempts a shot at Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
            
              Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52) celebrates his 100th NHL goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The chant from Florida fans started in the first period, growing louder with every goal the Panthers scored.

“We want 10!”

“We want 10!”

“We want 10!”

The NHL-leading Panthers nearly complied with that rather exorbitant goal request. Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell each scored twice, MacKenzie Weegar tied a career-best with four points and Florida rolled past the Columbus Blue Jackets 9-2 on Saturday night.

“Today was a special game,” Lundell said. “Again.”

These days, most of them are for the Panthers. They’re 8-0-1 since the season resumed after the Christmas break, outscoring opponents 54-24 in that stretch. Florida is 26-7-5 overall and 21-3-0 at home, both of those marks the best in the NHL.

A team with exactly one 10-goal game in franchise history — back in 1997 — has nearly gotten there twice in their last eight games. Florida beat Tampa Bay 9-3 on Dec. 30, then put nine on the scoreboard again Saturday.

“It’s fun to be part of it,” said goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 28 shots against his former club.

Well, fun to be on the right side of it.

Columbus didn’t find it quite so enjoyable. Defenseman Zach Werenski offered this assessment: “Embarrassing,” he said.

“When their crowd starts chanting ‘We want 10’ and they’re one away, I don’t know if there’s a more embarrassing thing in hockey, to be honest with you,” Werenski said.

Aaron Ekblad had three assists for Florida. Weegar, Jonathan Huberdeau, Anthony Duclair, Sam Bennett and Ryan Lomberg all had goals for the Panthers. Lomberg had the one that made it 9-1 midway through the third, and Florida had some chances for No. 10 down the stretch.

“You can’t take offense to it. They’re just playing hockey,” Werenski said. “As a team we should be embarrassed by it, that they were even in that position.”

Elvis Merzlikins made 11 saves on 15 shots for Columbus, and Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 of 36 shots in relief. Gustav Nyquist and Boone Jenner each scored in the third period.

Florida was coming off a 7-1 win over Dallas on Friday and wasted no time keeping the goal barrage going, going up 2-0 in the first 2:07 against Columbus and chasing Merzlikins by scoring four times in the first 13:28.

It was 4-0 after one period, 6-0 after two and the flurry never stopped.

“We’re rolling,” Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette said. “All four lines are going, (the defense) is going. Again, it’s a tribute to the group. The joy that they’re playing with right now is contagious throughout the bench and throughout the lineup.”

Florida fans, long starved for a winner — the Panthers haven’t won a playoff series since 1996 — aren’t afraid about showing their joy these days, either.

Even if they had to settle for just nine goals.

“We know it’s not going to last forever,” Brunette said. “You want to tighten up in certain areas and I think we’ve been doing that, but you also want to let them enjoy it and have fun.”

STREAKING

Florida has won six consecutive home games by at least three goals, extending the longest such streak in franchise history. Boston had a six-game streak of three-goal home wins last season, but before that, the most recent one had been by Philadelphia late in the 1995-96 season.

NOTES: It was the second time Columbus has given up at least six goals in a game against Florida. The other was a 7-6 Blue Jackets overtime win on March 9, 2001. … The Panthers will finish with a winning home record for a fifth consecutive season, something the franchise has done only once before. … Weegar’s other four-point game (1-3-4) against Carolina on April 24, 2021.

UP NEXT

Blue Jackets: Visit Philadelphia on Thursday, the first meeting between those clubs this season.

Panthers: Visit Calgary on Tuesday, the start of a five-game road trip through western Canada and the debut game in Seattle.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Panthers remain red-hot, roll past Blue Jackets 9-2