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 Anderson stopped 25 shots and the Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Thursday night. After leading Florida to consecutive 1-0 victories, Anderson's bid for a third consecutive shutout ended early, yet he was good enough to help the Panthers open a critical seven-game homestand with a victory.
David Booth had a goal and two assists, while Stephen Weiss added a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who remained seven points behind Carolina in the Southeast Division standings.
Rostislav Olesz and Brett McLean also scored for Florida, which sealed it on Bryan Allen's empty-netter with 51.8 seconds left.
Ryan Malone scored his 24th goal and Kristopher Letang got his fifth for Pittsburgh, which had beaten Florida in the teams' last five meetings. Reigning Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby, in his second game back since suffering a high ankle sprain and missing six weeks of action, had an assist for the Penguins.
Anderson stopped 93 shots in his previous two outings at the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, making giving Florida the first NHL team to win consecutive 1-0 games on the road.
By the time Anderson faced his first shot against the Penguins, he already had a 2-0 lead. Booth opened the scoring at 4:19 of the first on a picture-perfect goal, a play where Nathan Horton carried the puck down the left wing boards and tapped it to Weiss, who found Booth for his 20th.
Rostislav Olesz got his 12th of the season 39 seconds later. Those quick two goals matched Florida's total in its previous 134 minutes, 20 seconds of play.
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But Anderson's streak would soon end. Malone tapped in a rebound at 6:19 of the first, snapping Anderson's run of 106 consecutive saves.
The Panthers restored the two-goal lead late in the first, when Weiss scored off a rebound against Marc-Andre Fleury at 17:54. Fleury stopped 16 of 19 shots in the opening period, and was replaced by Ty Conklin to start the second.
McLean scored his 11th early in the second. Letang's knuckling shot beat Anderson to make it 4-2 midway through the second.
Notes: Dave Zenobi, the Florida Panthers' trainer who helped save right wing Richard Zednik's life, was honored before the game with the ADT Good Sport Award. Zednik was part of the ceremony and drew a loud ovation. ... Nine-time Olympic swimming medalist Dara Torres, a South Florida resident, dropped the ceremonial first puck.
[Associated Press; By TIM REYNOLDS]
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