Dadonov hat trick helps Panthers end Penguins streak at six

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Evgenii Dadonov completed a hat trick by scoring the game-winning goal with 1:53 remaining in the third period, and the Florida Panthers ended the Pittsburgh Penguins' six-game winning streak with a 6-5 victory at BB&T Center on Saturday.

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It was the first NHL hat trick for Dadonov, who played 55 games for the Panthers from 2009-12 before spending five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League.
"He's an elite goal-scorer in this league and in this world," said Florida center Aleksander Barkov, who had three assists, all on Dadonov's goals. "He was scoring a lot of goals in Russia and it was just a matter of time when the puck started going in. He's been a dangerous player the whole year and now he just had those good chances, he put them in."
Vincent Trocheck, Jamie McGinn and Derek MacKenzie scored for the Panthers, who have won nine of their past 12 (9-3-0) games. Roberto Luongo made 32 saves.
The Panthers (28-25-6) remained five points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with three games in hand.
"We're confident in what we have in this locker room," Luongo said. "We've had some success lately and that builds a little more confidence in our group and the way we play. We feel that when we're playing well, we can beat anybody."
Evgeni Malkin had two goals and an assist for the Penguins, giving him 38 points (22 goals, 16 assists) in his past 21 games. Carl Hagelin and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist, and Patric Hornqvist scored.

Tristan Jarry made 12 saves for Pittsburgh but was pulled after MacKenzie's goal gave Florida a 4-1 lead at 8:12 of the second period. Matt Murray made 12 saves in relief.
The Penguins (36-23-4) dropped into a tie with the Philadelphia Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the Washington Capitals.
Dadonov's third goal came when he took a centering pass from Barkov and waited before flicking a shot to Murray's blocker side from low in the right face-off circle.

Florida led 5-3 before Pittsburgh tied it with two goals in 49 seconds.
Hornqvist made it 5-4 at 14:21 with a power-play goal off his own rebound. Rust tied it 5-5 at 15:10 with a shot from a sharp angle.
"We said we were down two, but we've got the firepower to come back," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "We've done it time and time again and know we're capable. We don't have to open up. We just have to keep playing the game the right way and we'll score. And we did that. Unfortunately, we gave up that goal late. But I love the fight back in our guys and think we competed hard. We were fighting hard, but we didn't play as smart tonight as consistently as we should have."
Trocheck had made it 1-0 at 3:44 when he redirected Denis Malgin's pass on a 2-on-1.
Hagelin tied it 1-1 at 13:40 when he one-timed Malkin's pass from behind the net.
Dadonov gave Florida the lead again at 2-1 at 19:21 with a wrist shot high to the glove side.
McGinn made it 3-1 at 2:07 of the second period on a redirection of a pass from Jared McCann, and MacKenzie scored on a rebound at 8:12 to make it 4-1.

Malkin cut it to 4-2 at 13:10 when he redirected Rust's pass in front of the net.
The Penguins had a goal by Hornqvist overturned by a coach's challenge for goalie interference with 1:57 remaining in the second. It was determined that he pushed Luongo's pad and the puck past the goal line.
Malkin made it 4-3 at 46 seconds of the third period with a shot from a sharp angle that beat Luongo high to the stick side.
Dadonov made it 5-3 lead 58 seconds later at 1:44, scoring on a give-and-go with Barkov.
"We bent, almost broke, but we held it together and [Dadonov] scored a big goal at the end," Luongo said. "We have to learn to be a bit more comfortable with a lead like that toward the end of the game and have a little bit more composure, but other than that we showed a lot of character to get the goal back."

Goal of the game

Dadonov's goal at 18:07 of the third.

Save of the game

Luongo's save on Malkin at 19:30 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Dadonov's goal at 1:44 of the third period.

They said it

"I have confidence right now. Every shot seems to go in." -- Penguins center Evgeni Malkin
"I'm happy to get a hat trick. But actually it doesn't matter. We needed points to make the playoffs." -- Panthers forward Evgenii Dadonov

Need to know

Malgin left the game early in the third period with an apparent leg injury. Panthers coach Bob Boughner said he expects Malgin will be day to day. … Penguins forward Derick Brassard, acquired from the Ottawa Senators on Friday in a three-team trade involving the Vegas Golden Knights, was not with Pittsburgh because of visa issues.

What's next

Penguins:Host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, ATTSN-PT, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Panthers: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, TSN4, NHL.TV)