Panthers top Devils to set record with ninth straight home victory

SUNRISE, Fla.-- Spencer Knight made an NHL career-high 45 saves, and the Florida Panthers won their ninth straight home game, 4-1 against the New Jersey Devils at FLA Live Arena on Thursday.

"Any goalie will tell you it's more fun when you face more shots," Knight said.
Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (12-2-3), who are off to the best start at home in their history. Florida started 8-0-0 in 2017-18.
The Panthers have outscored opponents 43-18 at home this season with at least four goals in each of the nine games.
"We put an emphasis on playing well at home," Duclair said. "We want to put an honest effort every time we play here, and we want to keep it going here at home."

Dougie Hamilton scored for the Devils (7-5-3). Mackenzie Blackwood made 21 saves before he was pulled at 8:15 of the second period after Duclair's goal made it 4-1. Jonathan Bernier made 16 saves in relief.
"We had a lot of chances, a lot of shots on goal, the puck just didn't go in," Devils captain Nico Hischier said.
Florida lost 7-3 at New Jersey on Nov. 9, when Knight gave up six goals on 30 shots.
"He's been solid all year," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said of the 20-year-old rookie. "Got thrown into a tough situation [that night]. I had full confidence he was going to be good tonight. He wasn't just good, he was great."
The Panthers played without captain Aleksander Barkov, who is week to week with a knee injury the center sustained in a 6-1 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
"[Barkov] obviously [is] our best player, a huge part of our team," Duclair said. "But we've got to move him without him for the time being."
The Panthers scored three goals in a span of 5:07 in the second period to take a 4-1 lead.
Eetu Luostarinen gave Florida a 2-1 lead at 3:08 before Huberdeau made it 3-1 at 4:25 with a short-side shot from the right circle. The goal was upheld by video review after New Jersey challenged for offside.

Duclair scored with a quick deke after taking a pass from Huberdeau in front of the net.
New Jersey outshot Florida 22-13 in the first period.
"[Knight] bailed us out in the first," Duclair said. "Obviously that's now how we want to play. That's not Panthers hockey there. In the second and third, that's exactly how we want to play."
The Devils took a 1-0 lead at 13:37 of the first period on Hamilton's wrist shot from the right dot.
Carter Verhaeghe tied it 1-1 at 19:53 when he finished an end-to-end rush with a wrist shot from the left circle that bounced in off the far post.
"We had one of the fastest periods we've had all year," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "We could have had three goals. If you don't take advantage of those situations, we let a team hang around."
NOTES: The Panthers' streak is tied for fourth-longest in NHL history and the longest since the 2016-17 Montreal Canadiens started 10-0-0 at home. The NHL record is 11, set by the 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks. … Florida became the fifth NHL team, and the first since the 1992-93 Philadelphia Flyers, to score at least four goals in each of its first nine home games. … Florida center Joe Thornton returned after missing eight games with an undisclosed injury and played 12:50 with one shot on goal. … New Jersey's 22 shots were two short of its record for a first period, set Dec. 19, 2009 at the Atlanta Thrashers. … New Jersey defenseman Damon Severson played his 500th NHL game. He had four shots on goal in 21:09. … New Jersey forward Fabian Zetterlund played 9:33 in his NHL debut and had three shots on goal. ... Knight's previous high was 33 saves, made in his NHL debut, a 5-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 20. He made 36 in a 4-1 Stanley Cup Playoff win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 24.