Bennett scores two goals, Knight makes 33 saves in NHL debut

<p>SUNRISE, Fla.- &mdash; Sam Bennett scored two goals and Spencer Knight made 33 saves in his NHL debut to lift the Florida Panthers over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Tuesday night. </p>
<p>Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and two assists, Aleksander Barkov scored his first goal in four games, and Ryan Lomberg also scored a goal for Florida. Anthony Duclair had three assists. The Panthers are 7-0-1 against the Blue Jackets this season. </p>
<p>Knight, out of Boston College and the 13th overall pick in the NHL draft, made his start one day after his 20th birthday.</p>
<p>Jack Roslovik scored for the Blue Jackets and Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots. The Blue Jackets have given up four or more goals in their last seven games, all losses.</p>
<p>Bennett’s second goal stretched the Panthers lead to 3-1, Bennett, acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on April 12th, has five points in his first three games with the Panthers. </p>
<p>Lomberg and Huberdeau scored goals less than a minute apart late in the second and the Panthers staked their young goalie to a 5-1 lead. </p>
<p>Barkov and Bennett scored 14 seconds apart in the first to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Barkov fired a wrist shot from the right circle that got past Korpisalo at 6:52. Bennett followed by batting the puck out of midair and in at 7:06. </p>
<p>Roslovik closed the score to 2-1 on his power-play goal with 3:44 let in the first. Roslovik poked in a loose puck that beat Knight on the stick side. </p>
<p>MILESTONES</p>
<p>Anthony Duclair recorded his 100th NHL assist.</p>
<p>Knight is the 77th Boston College player to appear in the NHL.</p>
<p>The Panthers offered a video tribute to Patrick Marleau surpassing Gordie Howe’s record of 1,767 games set in 1980. Marleau, a member of the San Jose Sharks, played game number 1,768 on April 19, 2021 against the Vegas Golden Knights. </p>
<p>NO GO</p>
<p>Roslovik appeared to score a second goal in the closing minute of the first but the Panthers challenged the goal and the Blue Jackets were ruled offside. </p>
<p>ATTENDANCE</p>
<p>The Panthers cap attendance at 25% of capacity. Tuesday’s game drew 4,123. </p>
<p>UP NEXT </p>
<p>The Blue Jackets visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.</p>
<p>The Panthers host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. </p>