5 Takeaways: Cats Complete Comeback in Columbus on Vatrano's OT Goal

These Cats just don't quit.
Trailing 4-1 in the third period, the Panthers clawed their way back to pick up a huge two points in Columbus as Frank Vatrano's overtime goal lifted the team to a thrilling 5-4 win on Thursday.

"Even some of the games we're losing, we're right in there until the end," Vatrano said. "We're competing every single night. You can't ask more of us. We've just got to keep this thing going."
Heading home after picking up eight of a possible 10 points on their five-game road trip, the Panthers currently sit just one point behind the Hurricanes for first place in the Central Division with a record of 17-5-4, which includes an utterly outstanding 10-2-1 mark away from home.
"I think here's a little excitement in our team as far as the approach during games," coach Joel Quenneville said of Florida's never-say-die attitude. "Keep doing the same things and let's stick with it."
Following a scoreless first period in which both teams had more than a few good looks, Oliver Bjorkstrand opened the scoring for the Blue Jackets in the second when he went top-shelf on Sergei Bobrovsky while on a 2-on-1 break to send the Panthers down into a 1-0 hole at 6:00.
Just 4:14 later, Bjorkstrand struck again when he took a pass from Riley Nash from behind the net and one-timed a shot straight into the twine to give Columbus a 2-0 advantage at 10:14.
Cutting the deficit in half with time winding down in the middle frame, Patric Hornqvist finally got the Panthers on the board when he tipped a shot from Gustav Forsling past Elvis Merzlikins and right into the back of the net at 16:50 to make it a 2-1 game going into the second intermission.
Coming out swinging to start the third period, the Blue Jackets then extended their lead to 3-1 when Patrik Laine buried a booming slap shot on the power play at 3:23. Soon after, Max Domi then pushed the advantage to 4-1 when he kept the puck on a 2-on-1 break and scored at 4:43.
Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves, while Merzlikins stopped 27 of 32 shots.
Not going down without a fight, the Panthers struck back a bit later when Ryan Lomberg - who might also have a shot at making the Opening Day lineup for the Marlins - batted a puck out of the air and past Merzlikins for the first NHL goal of his career to quickly make it a 4-2 game at 6:34.
Bringing the Cats within a goal, Owen Tippett then sniped home a shot at 12:21 to make it 4-3.
"You can see when you get one [goal] there's a little energy on the bench," Tippett said. "Then another one comes, and you have all the momentum. You just have to keep playing the same way."
Taking that momentum and running with it, Aleksander Barkov then finished off a beautiful passing sequence on the power play when he blasted home a heavy one-timer to get the game knotted at 4-4 with just 5:34 remaining in regulation and eventually get the game to overtime.
In the extra frame, the Panthers came oh-so-close on a few great looks before Aaron Ekblad made a nice pass off the boards to send Vatrano and Jonathan Huberdeau up ice on a 2-on-1 break. Shooting for a rebound, Huberdeau then sent the puck off Merzlikin's pads and right onto the stick of Vatrano, who cashed in at 2:48 to complete the comeback and lock in a 5-4 victory.
"We knew we had the momentum going into overtime," Vatrano said. "Hags [Carter Verhaeghe] had a great chance before, and I would've lost some sleep if I didn't bury that second one there. A great play all the way around. Ekkie made a great play up, and Huby was shooting for a purpose off the pad there. It was a great play."
Here are five takeaways from Thursday's win in Columbus…

1. HORNQVIST DOES HIS THING

Hornqvist has his own gravitational pull when it comes to pucks.
Skating into the slot, the 34-year-old veteran turned around just in time to reach out his stick and tip a shot from Forsling past Merzlikins to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 3:10 left in the middle frame.

Taking over sole possession of the team-lead in goals with 11, Hornqvist has list the lamp in each of the last two games. Producing at nearly a point-per-game pace during his first season with the Panthers, the hard-nosed Swede has registered 22 points through 26 games thus far.
In 48 career games against Columbus, Hornqvist has scored 18 goals.

2. SWINGING FOR THE FENCES

Lomberg is ready for baseball season.
Netting the first goal of his NHL career, the 26-year-old forward showed off some excellent hand-eye coordination when he batted a rebound out of mid-air after a shot from Noel Acciari that flew straight into the twine to trim Florida's deficit down to 4-2 at 6:34 of the third period.

"No time to think about it," Lomberg said of the timely score. "Cookie [Acciari] made a nice play off the pad there. It's something I'll remember for a while, for sure."
Bringing the energy for the Panthers from on the fourth line this season, Lomberg's first goal couldn't have come at a better time. Prior to heading to Florida on a two-year deal during the offseason, he'd registered one assist in 11 games over parts of two seasons with the Flames.
In addition to his goal, Lomberg also notched a hit and a takeaway in tonight's victory.

3. TIPPETT STRIKES AGAIN

You could see Tippett's confidence as the action rolled along.
Finding the back of the net for the second time in as many games, Tippett pulled the Panthers within one goal when he took a pass from MacKenzie Weegar, skated into the center of the left circle and ripped a shot right past Merzlikins to make it a 4-3 game at 12:21 of the third period.

"I'm definitely starting to play like my game's coming back," Tippett said. "I feel like I've just been trying to do all the small things right. I'm getting in those areas, and when I do I'm not passing up any shots. Obviously, it doesn't go without my linemates. We've all been working together."
Deployed primarily on the third line, Tippett has also been earning some minutes on the second power-play unit as of late. In 17 games this season, the 22-year-old rookie sniper has chipped in three goals, two assists and 23 shots on goal while skating just around 11 minutes per contest.

4. PRETTY ON THE POWER PLAY

Barkov is usually a pretty quiet guy, but this goal spoke loudly.
In search of the game-tying goal late in the third period, the Panthers captain took a sweet dish from Keith Yandle, dropped to one knew and unleashed a screaming one-timer from the center of the right circle that cruised straight past Merzlikins to make it 4-4 with 5:34 left in regulation.

"That power-play goal was huge," Quenneville said. "Pretty as well."
Sitting second on the team in scoring with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists), Barkov has made a dent on the scoresheet in seven of the last eight games. In that span, the 25-year-old center has posted two goals and seven assists. Of those nine points, four have come on the power play.

5. VATRANO'S BIG NIGHT

Well, that's one way to mark a milestone.
Skating in the 300th game of his NHL career, Vatrano created quite the highlight to accompany the moment when he followed-up on a shot from Huberdeau in overtime and cashed in on the ensuing rebound to help the Panthers to a 5-4 win and another massive two points in the bag.

"Obviously, we're in a playoff spot right now," Vatrano said. "Every game is against a division opponent, so every point matters. We want to be in a good spot here with some games in hand. We've got to win the games we need to win, and we're doing that right now."
Acquired by the Panthers from the Bruins for a third-round pick at the trade deadline in 2018, the 26-year-old winger has been a consistent goal-scorer since taking his talents to Florida. Of his 74 career goals to date, 54 have come with the Cats, including nine already this campaign.
Of Vatrano's nine goals this season - which are tied for the third-most on the team - seven have come in the third period or later, including a pair of clutch game-winners in overtime.