5 Takeaways: Luongo, Barkov Lift Panthers to Win Over Coyotes

SUNRISE, Fla. - When Roberto Luongo was asked how he felt after backstopping the Florida Panthers to a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes at BB&T Center on Thursday night, the veteran goaltender wasted no time before answering the question emphatically with one succinct word.
"Rested," the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer said, flashing a big smile.

After backing up rookie goaltender Sam Montembeault in each of the last six games, Luongo looked sharp in his return to the crease, making 32 saves to improve to 15-15-4 on the season.
"I had good energy," Luongo said. "I got a lot of shots early and I was able to get into the game and get a good feel. It carried me the rest of the way. The boys did a good job. Even though [the Coyotes] had a lot of shots, I think they didn't have many scoring chances."

The Panthers (33-29-12) fell behind early against Arizona, surrendering a shorthanded goal on their first power play of the night to Michael Grabner at 7:45 of the first period. Very dangerous on the kill all season long, the Coyotes rank second in the league with 15 shorthanded goals.
With 15 seconds left in the period, captain Aleksander Barkov made it 1-1, cleaning the slate.
"It was a little bit expected," Panthers coach Bob Boughner said of Florida's slow start in their first game at home after a four-game road trip to the West Coast. "You hate to say that as a coach, but that West Coast trip, with the time change and getting home, I was concerned about the first period. I thought our second 10 minutes of the first period was better than our first 10. It took us a while to get going. I thought our intensity was better as the game went on."
As that intensity began to ramp up, the goals started to flow for the Panthers.
Sent to the power play midway through the second period, Mike Hoffman netted his 34th goal of the season to make it 2-1 and give Florida its first lead of the night at 10:55. In the third period, MacKenzie Weegar made it 3-1 at 5:09 before Arizona got one back to make it 3-2 at 17:34.
With 50 seconds left in regulation, Barkov secured the 4-2 final with an empty-net goal.
"We played well," Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau said. "We can play some good games. We just haven't been consistent this year, I feel. We know we can play against any team in the league. That's what we showed tonight, and we got the win."
Here are five takeaways from Thursday's win in Sunrise...

1. FAKE OUT

Barkov's fake shot was almost as good as the actual one on this goal.
After collecting a smooth pass from Huberdeau, Barkov stunned a would-be defender with a fake shot before unleashing a wrister from the slot that flew over Darcy Kuemper's glove and into the net to tie the game 1-1 with just 15 seconds left on the clock in the first period.
"They've got great chemistry together," Luongo said of Barkov and Huberdeau. "They make things happen every night, it seems like it. It's fun to watch them. When they get the puck in the offensive zone, they make some nice plays. It feels a little bit like watching the Sedins."

With two goals against the Coyotes, Barkov has now found the back of the net an incredible 15 times over his last 18 games. Leading the team in scoring with a career-high 87 points, the 23-year-old center has been on fire lately, picking up at least one point in 17 of his last 18 games.
Barkov, who is now tied for the team lead in goals with a career-high 34, needs just eight more points to surpass Pavel Bure's record for the most points in a season in franchise history (94).

2. A FRANCHISE FIRST

With an assist on Barkov's goal, Huberdeau hit 80 points for the first time in his career.
An impressive individual accomplishment in and of itself, the milestone also marked the first time in franchise history that two Panthers have reached the 80-point mark in the same year.
Finishing with three assists against Arizona, Huberdeau has pushed his career-high point total to 82, which places 16th in the NHL this season. Additionally, his 59 assists, which already stand as the most in a single season in franchise history, are currently tied for eighth-most in the NHL.
"Obviously playing with Barky makes it a little easier," Huberdeau said. "But I feel like this year I've been a little better consistently. That's what I've been working on every game, to be a part of something. The points are coming, which means you know you're playing well. But obviously you want to get the win when you get some points."
Like Barkov, his longtime friend and linemate, Huberdeau has been piling up points at an insane rate for more than a month, posting a whopping 10 goals and 20 assists over his last 18 games.

3. HOFF'S OFFICE

They know it's coming, but teams still can't stop it.
With the Panthers on the power play, Hoffman headed onto the ice and set up shop near his usual office inside the right circle. Left unattended, he took a slick pass from Huberdeau and blasted a screaming one-timer into the net to put Florida up 2-1 at 10:55 of the second period.
"Huby had everybody in the building frozen on that, and that's what he's good at" Boughner said of the play. "Even from my angle on the bench, Huby hesitated for one second and it opened up that seam. As great a release as that was by Hoff, and that's what he does, he can crack it, it was probably even a better pass by Huby. That's what those guys do. They're special players."

Tied for the team lead with a career-high 34 goals, Hoffman also ranks tied for third in the NHL with 17 power-play goals. If he manages to reach 19 power-play goals, he will match franchise legends Scott Mellanby and Bure for the most power-play goals in a season in Panthers history.
"He's a guy that can shoot the biscuit," Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said of Hoffman's scoring prowess. "Impressive that guys know it's coming, goalies know it's coming, but he can still find ways to score goals. Big goals, at that."
The 29-year-old winger has notched 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) over his last 19 games.

4. YANDS STANDS ALONE

No defenseman in Panthers history has ever put up points quite like Yandle.
With an assist on Hoffman's goal, Yandle picked up his 58th point of the season, breaking a tie with Robert Svehla for the most points by a defenseman in franchise history. In the midst of his third season in South Florida, he paces the club's blueliners in both points (58) and assists (49).
"It's obviously special," Yandle said of the record. "The guys that have played here, guys that I look up to like Caber [Bryan McCabe] and Jovo [Ed Jovanovski], a guy I really looked up to at the beginning of my career, Brian Campbell, Robert Svehla, the guy that had the record. It's one of those things that you take pride in, and obviously it's nice getting a win, too."

Not satisfied with simply breaking one record, the 32-year-old also notched his 38th power-play point of the season on the play. That total not only stands as tied for the second-most in the NHL this season, but also surpassed Olli Jokinen for the most in a season in franchise history.
With Yandle quarterbacking the top unit, Florida's power play ranks second in the NHL.
"It's great," Yandle said. "The way that those guys can shoot the puck and score goals, I think I have the easiest job out there. I just distribute to those guys and let them do their magic. It's definitely a lot of fun to be a part of that group and going to work with them every night."

5. WEEGAR'S WINNER

Weegar will have to settle for one goal, even if he deserved a pair.
Having already recorded his first two-goal game earlier this month, the 25-year-old defenseman showed off his newfound scoring touch once again tonight, skating into the slot and wiring a top-shelf wrist shot over Kuemper's glove to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead at 5:09 of the third period.
"His first goal was unbelievable -- bar-down," Huberdeau said of Weegar's goal, which held up as the eventual game-winner. "He's a good player. I think he's gaining more confidence this year. He's played a lot of games. I think he can be a huge part of our team."

Later in the period, Weegar appeared to tally his second goal of the night, but it was overturned after the Coyotes challenged for goaltender interference. According to a statement from the NHL Situation Room, Barkov "impaired Kuemper's ability to play his position in the crease."
"I thought it was going to be allowed, to be honest," Boughner said.
In 56 games this season, Weegar has set new career-highs in goals (4) and points (14).