Music: {allcanada} After slow start, Maple Leafs roll over Panthers

Thursday, January 30, 2014

{allcanada} After slow start, Maple Leafs roll over Panthers

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TORONTO -- James van Riemsdyk and Joffrey Lupul each had a goal and an assist and Nazem Kadri set up three goals to rally the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 6-3 victory against the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Center on Thursday night.

Toronto trailed 2-0 after goals by Nick Bjugstad and Sean Bergenheim in the game's first 13:50. Kadri and van Riemsdyk assisted on Cody Franson's goal at 16:49 that cut the deficit to 2-1 before the Leafs went ahead to stay thanks to a fast start in the second period.

Mason Raymond and van Riemsdyk scored 31 seconds apart in the opening minute of the middle period to put Toronto ahead to stay. Raymond's goal came 27 seconds into the period and van Riemsdyk followed with a power-play goal by tipping Phil Kessel's shot past Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen.

Toronto (29-21-6) blew the game open by scoring three times in the third period.

Nikolai Kulemin gave the Maple Leafs a 4-2 at 4:00 when he one-timed a pass from Joffrey Lupul past Clemmensen for his eighth goal of the season. Kadri earned his second assist of the game and the 100th point of his career. Lupul made it 5-2 at 6:22 on the power play by taking a pass from Kadri in the left circle and firing a shot over Clemmensen's shoulder for his 16th goal of the season.

Panthers defenseman Dmitry cut the lead to 5-3 with 5:31 remaining when his point shot went through traffic in front of the net to beat Bernier, but Tyler Bozak's 10th goal of the season with 1:23 to play put the game away.

Toronto goaltender Jonathan Bernier stopped 35 shots. Clemmensen made 26 saves for Florida (21-26-7).

The Panthers got on the board first when Bjugstad deked and put a backhander over Bernier's blocker at 1:39 of the first period for his 12th goal of the season. Bjugstad broke in alone after a quick pass from the boards by Scottie Upshall.

Bergenheim made it 2-0 at 13:50 when he scored on a give-and-go with Brad Boyes for his 13th of the season.

Franson cut the lead to 2-1 with his fourth goal of the season. His wrist shot from the point got through traffic in front of the net and past Clemmensen.

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