Bennett scores twice as Panthers stop 2-game skid with a 4-1 win over Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Sam Bennett scored twice, and the Florida Panthers snapped a two-game skid with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

Florida notched its 12th victory in the last 13 games against the Blue Jackets.

Lars Eller and Sam Reinhart also scored. Aaron Ekblad had three assists, and Anton Lundell added two assists. Jacob Markstrom stopped 37 shots for Florida, which improved to 6-0-0 when leading after two periods.

Ivan Provorov scored for the Blue Jackets. Cam Talbot stopped 24 shots.

Bennett opened the scoring with a power-play goal off the rush at the two-minute mark of the second period, giving Florida a power-play goal in seven of its last eight games.

Eller made it 2-0 at 4:17 before Provorov cut that lead in half with 20 seconds left in the period.

Bennett restored the two-goal lead at 14:29 of the third. Matthew Tkachuk’s assist was his team-leading 23rd and extended both his assist and point streaks to five games.

Reinhart capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at 17:44, his 17th score and 43rd point in 32 career games against Columbus.

The Blue Jackets have been outscored 23-8 in the middle frame through 16 games this season and are 0-9-0 when trailing after two periods.

Panthers: Host Detroit on Thursday.

Blue Jackets: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday.

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