Vanecek, who was honored by the Panthers during the first period for being a part of their Stanley Cup championship team last season, got his first win since Oct. 26 (0-8-2 in previous 10 starts).
Mikhail Sergachev scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and Sean Durzi had a goal and an assist for Utah (28-21-4), which was coming off a 2-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday but are 9-1-1 in its past 11 games.
Sandis Vilmanis scored his first NHL goal for the Panthers (28-21-3), who had won three in a row. Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves.
Nick Schmaltz gave Utah a 1-0 lead at 15:46 of the first period. He beat Bobrovsky with a backhand on a short-handed breakaway after Kevin Stenlund forced Uvis Balinskis into a turnover at the Mammoth’s blue line.
Vilmanis, who was playing in his ninth NHL game, tied it 1-1 at 2:52 of the second period. Ian Cole sent a blind clearing pass from behind the net out toward the low slot, where Vilmanis scored glove side with a wrist shot.
Durzi responded 54 seconds later to put the Mammoth back in front 2-1. Michael Carcone’s cross-ice pass for Jack McBain drew Bobrovsky out of position, and before the goaltender could get settled, McBain passed back to a wide-open Durzi for a one-timer from the slot.
Cole Schwindt tied it 2-2 at 9:55. After Utah failed on a clearing attempt at the right point, A.J. Greer poked the puck away from Durzi and had it wind up on the stick of Schwindt, who scored through traffic from the right circle.
Sergachev again put the Mammoth ahead 3-2 at 11:05 of the third period when he redirected Durzi’s shot from the right point.
Barrett Hayton pushed the lead to 4-2 with an empty-net goal at 19:04.
Carter Verhaeghe cut it to 4-3 with a shot from the left circle through a screen with 16 seconds remaining. However, the Panthers weren’t able to get another shot on net after winning the ensuing face-off.
Florida center Anton Lundell did not play in the third period after sustaining a hit along the boards late in the second.
