Panthers get 2nd win in last 8 games, roll past Maple Leafs 5-1

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe had power-play goals, Sam Reinhart had a short-handed score and the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Wednesday night for only their second win in eight games.

Mackie Samoskevich also scored for Florida, Sam Bennett got an empty-net goal and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 shots for the Panthers. Verhaeghe also had two assists.

Mitch Marner scored for the Maple Leads, who lost for the second time in the last nine games and saw their lead in the Atlantic Division over Florida cut to one point.

Anthony Stolarz stopped 19 shots for Toronto. The Maple Leafs lost forward Bobby McMann in the second period with a lower body injury.

Maple Leafs: Stolarz, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Steven Lorentz — all Panthers last season — got their Stanley Cup championship rings in a Wedneday morning ceremony. Panthers coach Paul Maurice, general manager Bill Zito and a number of Panthers players also were present to celebrate with their former teammates. “Worth the wait,” Lorentz said.

Panthers: Florida was without Anton Lundell, who left Monday's game after a puck was deflected into his face. He took part in the morning skate Wednesday but wasn't in the game lineup.

Samoskevich's goal put Florida up 2-0 — it came 50 seconds after Barkov opened the scoring — and was a very good sign for the Panthers. They're now 4-0-0 when the former Michigan star gets a goal.

Reinhart has four short-handed goals this season. The only team — besides Florida — with four short-handed goals this season is Columbus, and 20 NHL clubs entered Wednesday with no more than one such goal this season.

The Maple Leafs visit Tampa Bay on Saturday, while the Panthers visit Carolina on Friday to start a home-and-home, with the return Saturday in Sunrise.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist (70) takes a shot on the goal as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins (25) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defends the goal against Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) and Toronto Maple Leafs center Bobby McMann (74) go for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88) attempts a shot on the goal against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) controls the puck against Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner, center, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Nicholas Robertson (89) attempts a shot on the goal against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) defends the goal against Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) defends a shot on the goal by Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, center, celebrates with center Aleksander Barkov (16) and defenseman Gustav Forsling, right, after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) reacts after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandon Crawford is retiring after 14 major league seasons, all but one of those played with his hometown San Francisco Giants as a slick-fielding shortstop and fan favorite.

A four-time Gold Glove winner and three-time All-Star, the veteran infielder announced his decision in an Instagram post Wednesday.

“During this time of the year, I am constantly being reminded of the things in my life that I am most thankful for. Baseball is one of them,” Crawford wrote. “Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and for the rest of my life I will be thankful for the opportunities and experiences it has given me. Time is precious. I'm incredibly grateful for all the years I spent playing the game I love, but now it is time for me to spend it with the people who I'm most thankful for. Thank you to all of you who have been there for me throughout the years. It's been an unbelievable ride.”

A fourth-round draft pick in 2008 out of UCLA, Crawford made his debut on May 27, 2011, and won World Series championships with the Giants in 2012 and '14 — the final two titles in their every-other-year run from 2010-14.

“Congrats to Craw on his outstanding career,” former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, now with Texas, said via text message. "Just a wonderful story of a kid becoming one of the best shortstops in the history of the San Francisco Giants, the team he grew up with and loved.”

The Giants said they will honor Crawford's career April 26 at Oracle Park. He was a career .249 hitter with 147 home runs and 748 RBIs, but his knack for making the key defensive play is what he will long be remembered for by many.

“It was an honor to get to know Brandon as a friend and as a teammate,” new Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said in a statement. ”From the first day we were both drafted in 2008 to our final year playing together in 2021, it was an honor to play alongside him for 14 years. Whether it was the clutch moments like the grand slam he hit in the 2014 wild-card game in Pittsburgh, the franchise-record, seven-hit game he recorded in Miami, or the dazzling defensive plays and acrobatic throws he made over and over again, Brandon made his mark in a way few athletes ever do.”

There was some thought Crawford might retire after the 2023 season when his contract expired in San Francisco, but he decided to give it one more year and joined the St. Louis Cardinals on a $2 million, one-year deal. He was released in August after hitting .169 with a homer and four RBIs over 80 plate appearances.

Crawford and wife Jalynne have five young children, and family will be Crawford's primary focus going forward.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is married to Crawford's sister, Amy, and applauded everything Crawford has done on and off the field.

“Brandon is an incredible teammate, competitor, and the greatest Giants shortstop of all-time," Cole said in a text message. "He has been an amazing brother to me, and an amazing role model for future shortstops and kids with championship dreams. I was lucky enough to share a few special moments with him along the way, my major league debut, our first All-Star Game, and delivering the lineup cards in Yankee Stadium. He has made a lasting impact on the game we love, and leaves knowing he has the respect and admiration of all who have crossed his path, both on his team and against. Love you bro.”

As a boy, Crawford leaned on the railing at Candlestick Park with his hat on backward supporting his beloved Giants — and eventually would star for them.

When he signed a two-year, $32 million contract in August 2021 while wrapping up a $75 million, six-year deal he had signed in November 2015, Crawford expressed his gratitude for playing in one place for so long.

“Being drafted by my hometown team and spending most of my career with them far surpassed any dream I had as a kid,” Crawford wrote in Wednesday's post. “I definitely pretended to win a World Series in my backyard — but winning two? That was beyond my wildest dreams."

He is the Giants' career leader in games played at shortstop with 1,617.

“Watching Brandon play was an absolute privilege for not only me but for Giants’ fans everywhere," President and CEO Larry Baer said.

"He was an All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, a two-time World Series champion, and a Lou Gehrig and Willie Mac Award winner, that always carried himself with class, honor and respect. The Giants have been incredibly blessed to have had Brandon as part of the franchise for 16 years — really for his entire 37 years, first as a young fan, who will ever forget that indelible photo of him leaning on the railing at Candlestick Park when there was a possibility that his Giants might leave San Francisco — and as this chapter closes on his career, his legacy in the game will be celebrated by fans, teammates, and future generations of players who look up to him by the example he set.”

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Brandon Crawford works a rundown of Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Aug. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)