Marchand scores twice as Panthers get important win over Maple Leafs

SUNRISE — The Panthers came out of the Olympic break firing on all cylinders.

After scoring three first-period goals, Florida picked up a much-needed 5-1 win over Toronto at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday night. With the victory, the Panthers move into a tie with the Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference standings.

Brad Marchand, one of the three Panthers who won a silver medal for Team Canada, got Florida on the board early. After deflecting a puck in front of the net, he corralled the loose puck and shot it past Joseph Woll for the Panthers’ first goal of the night.

Florida did not have to wait long for a second goal. Toronto center Nicolas Roy was called for tripping, and Carter Verhaeghe scored on the power play with a close-range shot that went over Woll’s shoulder.

Not even a Toronto power play could stop Florida in its dominant first period. Winger Evan Rodrigues broke up a pass attempt from William Nylander and got a shorthanded breakaway attempt. Rodrigues deked Woll and snuck the puck past him for the Panthers’ third goal of the period.

With his team ahead 3-0, Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky took care of the rest. He allowed one goal in the third period a power play early in the third period when a shot from John Tavares deflected off Gustav Forsling and under the Florida goalie. But otherwise, Bobrovksy performed well and finished the game with 28 saves.

Marchand added a second goal late in the third period, scoring with an empty net in the game’s final minutes. Matthew Tkachuk, who was honored in a pregame ceremony for the game’s American Olympians, scored an empty-net goal, as well.