After Frank Vatrano tied the game 1-1 at 5:29 of the third period, Ben Hutton put the Canucks back on top less than three minutes later with a one-timer off a long rebound that made it 2-1 at 7:20. From there, Vancouver added three more late goals, including a pair of empty netters.
Panthers coach Bob Boughner said Hutton's goal was the turning point of the game.
"We just couldn't find the next one in a 1-1 game," Boughner said. "[Hutton's goal] was just off a simple faceoff; D down the wall, and they slung the puck and it went off a guy's stick in the backdoor. Missed assignment in the faceoff circle. It really was the difference in the game. After that it's goalie pulls, it's trying to catch up. It's disappointing."
The Panthers (17-19-8) never had more than 10 shots in a period against the Canucks, as the offense struggled to find its footing throughout most of the game. After the first two periods, Florida had registered just 15 shots on goal and eight scoring chances, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
Vancouver finished with advantages in both shots on goal (36-24) and shot attempts (64-49).
"I think we were being too stubborn, you know, kinda over-passing," Vatrano said of the offense. "We talked about before the game that their goalie doesn't handle pucks well, so we had to put more pucks to the net. I think we did more of that in the third, but we came up on the short end."
Roberto Luongo made 31 saves for the Panthers, including numerous highlight-reel stops.
"It's going to take a little more desperation," Luongo said when asked what it will take for the Panthers to get back in the win column. "It starts with me on out. We've got to be on top of our game every night. That's how you break out of something like that."
Here are five takeaways from Sunday's loss in Vancouver…