Frank Vatrano's OT winner lifts Panthers over Blackhawks

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Frank Vatrano scored 2:50 into overtime, and the Florida Panthers beat the winless Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals for Florida (2-0-0), and Patric Hornqvist also scored. Keith Yandle had a goal and an assist.

Hornqvist, who was acquired in a September trade with Pittsburgh, has two goals and an assist in the first two games.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for Florida in his first start of the season, but the two-time Vezina Trophy winner was a bit rusty.

The 32-year-old Bobrovsky, who is in the second year of a seven-year, $70 million contract, was deemed “unfit to play” during most of training camp. He had a .900 save percentage last season, the second-worst of his career.

Dominik Kubalik scored his first two goals of the year for Chicago, which has dropped its first four games of the pandemic-shortened season. Patrick Kane also scored, and Phillipp Kurashev posted his first NHL goal. Kevin Lankinen stopped 23 shots in his first NHL start.

Kurashev’s shot from the high slot gave the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead with 13:54 left, their first lead of the season. Yandle tied it at 4 with his power-play goal.

THE STREAK CONTINUES

Yandle, whose status coming into the season was uncertain, played in his 868th consecutive game, the longest active streak and fourth longest in NHL history. Yandle has not missed a game since March 22, 2009, when he was with the Arizona Coyotes.