Panthers fire coach Gallant, Rowe takes over

Drew Stafford tallied in the second period before Mark Scheifele (SHY’-flee) and Adam Lowry added empty-netters in the final minute to help the Jets end a five-game skid. Less than two minutes later, Skinner’s breakaway pulled the Hurricanes even at 2-2.

Four minutes later, Aaron Ekblad doubled the Panthers’ lead on a freaky pinball goal, an innocent-looking point shot that Jaromir Jagr swung and missed at in front of Michael Leighton, off whose glove the puck bounced and trickled into the net.

Gallant was a standout left wing as a player, primarily for the Detroit Red Wings – scoring at least 34 goals in four straight seasons from 1986 through 1990 and finishing his National Hockey League career with 211 goals in 615 games. “I’d have to say the relationship was good”.

Leighton was also involved in the play as he earned his fourth career assist, being the last to touch the puck before Rask picked it up in the Carolina zone. “We need to tweak a few things, ‘” Rowe said. I think he’s a great guy.

Canada’s Sportsnet.ca was the first to report that the Panthers had indeed relieved Gallant of his duties behind the bench, which was then confirmed by The Miami Herald. Aleksander Barkov had assists on both Florida first-period goals.

The Hurricanes took back-to-back penalties late in the second, with three seconds overlapping for an abbreviated 5-on-3, and another midway through the third. The goal broke Carolina’s NHL-best streak of 25 consecutive penalties killed.

By the time Staal exited, the Hurricanes were already in a two-goal hole.

Ekblad extended Florida’s lead at 9:51 when he was credited with a goal after the puck popped up and over Leighton while he attempted to scoop the puck in midair with his trapper.

“They were pretty blunt”, forward Vincent Trocheck said. There was an area to get better and to do something, and he was more than willing to travel to the other side of the world to do it. How had he gotten to this point? “We all work together but he ultimately makes the decisions and he chose to do it after [Sunday’s] game”. That’s stuff good teams do. GMs, coaches and players are paid to win, and thus they come and go. McIlrath has played one game for the Panthers since he was acquired on November 8. He shrugged off a two-goal deficit as his teammates scored three goals in the second period, stopping 31 shots. “We don’t think we need to make a ton right now”.

In his second season, with offseason additions Keith Yandle and Jiri Hudler, as well as a full season of Jagr and the teams’ young stars, the Panthers went 47-26-9, finishing with 103 points and the victor of the Atlantic Division.