Tkachuk brothers power Panthers to 4-1 win after Hall of Fame father honored by Blues

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk participated in a pregame ceremony to honor their father, then led the Florida Panthers to a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Brady Tkachuk scored the opening goal, and each brother had an assist in a dominant homecoming. Dmitry Kulikov, Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart also scored, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 shots for Florida.

Dylan Holloway scored a power-play goal with 2:06 remaining as the Blues avoided being shut out in regulation for the second straight game. They defeated Utah 1-0 in a shootout Thursday night.

Brady Tkachuk scored 5:12 into the first period, beating goalie Joel Hofer on the glove side during an extended shift on the power play. His brother, Matthew, had the secondary assist after also drawing the high stick that gave Florida a 5-on-3 advantage following an early too-many-men penalty on St. Louis.

Keith Tkachuk, who concluded his 18-year career with the Blues, was honored in a pregame ceremony recognizing his induction last weekend into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His two sons, playing together in their hometown for the first time in the NHL, used two of Keith's old sticks during a ceremonial puck drop before the game. Then they showed why they're All-Stars in their own right.

Both stayed on the ice for more than three minutes during overlapping power plays, and Brady pumped his fist and backed into the glass to celebrate the opening goal.

The Panthers extended the lead 77 seconds later when Kulikov's shot from the point bounced between Hofer's legs after a deflection by Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. It was the first goal of the season for Kulikov.

Lundell made it 3-0 off a rebound of Brady Tkachuk's shot at 3:28 of the second period. Reinhart closed the scoring by stealing the puck in the offensive zone, then navigating between three defenders to beat Hofer, who finished with 24 saves.

Panthers: At Dallas on Sunday.

Blues: Host Anaheim on Tuesday.

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