Avalanche score seven, defeat Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Nathan MacKinnon and Alex Kerfoot scored 41 seconds apart in the second period to help the Colorado Avalanche end a four-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center on Saturday.

"When you lose a handful in a row you've got to stick with the process," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "I think that's what our guys did tonight."
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche (13-13-2), who hadn't won since defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 in overtime at home on Nov. 29. Erik Johnson and Colin Wilson each scored, J.T. Compher had two assists, and Semyon Varlamov made 39 saves. Matt Nieto and Carl Soderberg each scored an empty-net goal in the final 4:01.
WATCH: [All Avalanche vs. Panthers highlights]
Aaron Ekblad, Denis Malgin and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Panthers (11-14-4), who have lost four of five. Ekblad became the third defenseman in Panthers history to score in three consecutive games, joining Jay Bouwmeester (2008-09) and Jason Garrison (2011-12).
Keith Yandle had two assists, and James Reimer made 23 saves for Florida.
"Every team gets breakdowns and that's when you need your goalie to make a big save," Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. "We didn't allow a lot of chances tonight. And the ones that we did went into the net and they got a couple of tips. We didn't bury our chances. They did."

Florida led 2-1 before MacKinnon tied the game at 11:26. He got the puck near center ice, beat defenseman Mike Matheson with a slick deke and scored on a quick shot high to the glove side.
Kerfoot scored at 12:07 when Tyson Barrie's wrist shot from the point went off him while he was standing in the slot.
Colorado killed off Barrie's double minor for high sticking late in the second period to preserve its 3-2 lead.
Johnson made it 4-2 at 11:59 of the third period when his wrist shot from the top of the right circle went between Reimer's legs. Wilson made it 5-2 at 13:42 when he redirected Compher's pass across the crease.
After Florida pulled Reimer in for an extra attacker at 13:53, Huberdeau scored at 14:15 to make it 5-3 before Nieto and Soderberg scored empty-net goals at 15:59 and 17:40.

"When you're down a couple of goals, we're going to make sure our team knows we're never giving up till the end as a coaching staff," Boughner said. "That's the way we're going to play the game and that's the decision we made. We score that goal there, if it happens to be we get another one, it's game on with about three, four minutes to go. You've got to keep fighting right to the end and that was the idea behind that."
Rantanen opened the scoring at 10:56 when he picked up a rebound in front of the Florida net and spun around before shooting.
Ekblad tied it 1-1 with three seconds left in the first period when he took a diagonal pass from Huberdeau and beat Varlamov with a shot from the right circle.
Malgin gave Florida a 2-1 lead at 4:51 of the second period when he beat Varlamov on a breakaway with a quick forehand that went in off his pad.
"The first goal gave us some momentum and the lead right away," Rantanen said. "We gave up the goal at the end of the first, but kept the momentum and didn't give them too many chances. It was a good effort from the guys."

Goal of the game

Wilson's goal at 13:42 of the third period.

Save of the game

Varlamov's save on Nick Bjugstad at 7:04 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

MacKinnon's goal at 11:26 of the second period.

They said it

"We played a full game, a really strong game, scored lots of goals and played well defensively." -- Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov
"Every three or four games, we run into this problem, not being consistent in the things that we know are going to make us successful and it makes sense why we're doing it. It's something as a leader in this room and the rest of us as leaders in this room have got to nip in the bud and make sure it's got to stop." -- Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad

Need to know

Johnson did not play the final 5:53 after leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. … Huberdeau's assist was his 228th NHL point, moving him past Ray Whitney into sole possession of 10th place on Florida's all-time list. … The Panthers played without center Aleksander Barkov, who sustained an upper-body injury in their 6-4 victory against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.

What's next

Avalanche: At the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday (7 p.m.; SN, TVA Sports, ATTSN-PT, ALT, NHL.TV)
Panthers: At the Detroit Red Wings on Monday (7:30 p.m.; FS-D, FS-F, NHL.TV)