SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots, and the Florida Panthers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Tuesday night.
It was the first shutout of the season for Bobrovsky, who played with Columbus from 2013-19.
The Panthers got goals from Brandon Montour, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart as they halted a two-game skid.
Bobrovsky had struggled in November and lost his starting job to Spencer Knight late last month in a loss to the Blue Jackets. But with Knight out with illness, Bobrovsky has played well in his past four starts, allowing one goal or fewer in two of them.
Bobrovsky, who is now 9-2-1 against Columbus since leaving for Florida, was solid from the start Tuesday as the Blue Jackets were shutout for the second time this season.
Florida took the initial lead at 9:04 of the first on a slapshot from Brandon Montour. The Panthers extended their lead on a goal from Tkachuk at 3:47 in the second period and Barkov scored with 43.3 seconds remaining in the second.
Reinhart capped a three-point night by scoring into an empty net with 1:46 left in the game.
Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for Columbus, which had won its past two games.
NOTES: The Panthers were again without center Anton Lundell (six games) and Knight (four) due to illness. Florida also said forward Carter Verhaeghe — the team’s leading goal-scorer (15) — was ill. The Panthers brought up 2018 first-round pick Grigori Denisenko from their AHL team in Charlotte to replace Verhaeghe. … Florida lost two forwards during the game to injury. Colin White left after an early hit from Andrew Peeke and Chris Tierney exited after a second-period hit from Jake Christiansen.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: At Tampa Bay on Thursday night.
Panthers: Host Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
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