Panthers score 3 goals in first period, beat Lightning 5-2

Panthers beat in-state rival Lightning 5-2

SUNRISE, Fla. — Nathan Horton, David Booth and Cory Stillman scored in the first period and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Stephen Weiss and Radek Dvorak added third-period goals, and Scott Clemmensen made 29 saves for the Panthers.

Steven Stamkos and Steve Downie scored for Tampa Bay, and Mike Smith stopped 35 shots. The Lightning have lost five straight and have won just two of their last 14.

Clemmensen got the start in favor of Tomas Vokoun, who was pulled from the Panthers’ 3-1 loss to Buffalo on Saturday night. Clemmensen also replaced Vokoun during Florida’s 7-3 loss to Washington on Tuesday night.

After a scoreless second period, Stamkos got a power-play goal to close the gap to 3-2 at 2:09 of the third period. The Panthers answered about 2 minutes later, when Weiss scored on a wrist shot from the slot to make it 4-2 at 4:03 in the third. It was the 100th goal of Weiss’ NHL career and his 25th this season.

Dvorak scored at 15:34 of the third to push Florida’s lead to 5-2.

Booth scored with 2:18 left in the first period to put Florida up 2-1. Byron Bitz and Keith Ballard had assists on the goal, Booth’s sixth of the season. Just 46 seconds later, Stillman scored on a backhand shot and stretched Florida’s lead to 3-1.

The Panthers tied it when they scored on the power play at 14:12 of the first. Horton, who returned to Florida’s lineup Thursday after missing 17 games with a fractured tibia, fired a slap shot from just inside the blue line, and the puck trickled through Smith’s pads to even the score at 1-1.

Downie opened the scoring with an unassisted goal 6:04 in the first period. After Florida defenseman Bryan Allen turned over the puck, Downie beat Clemmensen with a wrist shot from in front.

NOTES: The Panthers and Lightning next meet for a home-and-home series April 10 and 11 that will wrap up the regular season for both teams. … Panthers C Gregory Campbell was scratched because of a bruised foot.

(This version CORRECTS Panthers 5, Lightning 2. SUBS 5th graf to corrects time of Stamkos’ goal, reflecting official scoring change.)