Recap: Panthers blow two leads, drop 5-4 overtime decision to Avalanche

Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty ImagesThe Florida Panthers gagged up two leads before falling 5-4 in overtime to the Colorado Avalanche in a thrilling Friday night tilt from the BB&T Center in Sunrise.

Florida jumped out to an early two-goal when Jonathan Huberdeau slipped a shot by Philipp Grubauer and Denis Malgin sent Frank Vatrano away on a shorthanded breakaway that ‘The Tank’ finished off with aplomb at the 8:26 mark of the first.

Former Panthers draft pick Joonas Donskoi jammed in a rebound at 10:57 before Huberdeau struck again four minutes later after working a quick give-and-go with Aleksander Barkov.

The Avalanche flipped the script in the second period, tying the game on…