NHL ROUNDUP : Panthers Tie, Make History in Expansion

John Vanbiesbrouck turned away 40 shots Monday night at Miami and the Florida Panthers rallied for a 3-3 tie with the New Jersey Devils that made the Panthers the most successful first-year expansion franchise in NHL history.

Florida surpassed the expansion mark for points in a season with 74. The Panthers shared the mark with the Hartford Whalers of 1979-80 and the Philadelphia Flyers of 1967-68.

“Really, oh good,” Panther Coach Roger Neilson said of the record, which he and his players downplayed. “Now the tough part of this is starting. We’ve got to get some points on the road.”

Dave Lowry’s tying goal in the second period moved Florida even with the Washington Capitals for the seventh playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

“After we scored that goal, we got back to our style,” Lowry said.

The Panthers, 5-1-2 in their last eight games, are five points ahead of the Flyers and the New York Islanders for the final playoff spot.

The Devils are 9-1-3 in their last 13 games and have moved to within one point of the New York Rangers, who have the NHL’s best record and are in first place in the Atlantic Division.