Predators 5, Panthers 0
SUNRISE, Fla. - Backup goalie Carter Hutton made 22 saves and the Nashville power play went 2-for-3 as the Predators rolled to a 5-0 win over the first-place Florida Panthers on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.
Center Calle Jarnkrok scored twice, including short-handed, and has 11 goals this season.
The Predators (26-21-9), who are in fifth place in the Central Division, entered Saturday ranked last in the NHL in save percentage.
But Hutton, who had not played since Jan. 27, made several outstanding stops and has a personal three-game win streak. He allowed a combined total of one goal in his previous two games. This is his ninth game this season, and he has a 6-2-1 record with two shutouts.
Nashville also got goals from right winger Miikka Salomaki, his third, right winger James Neal, his 21st, and defenseman Shea Weber, his 15th.
Neal's goal was set up by a penalty on Panthers right winger Reilly Smith, who hit Jarnkrok with a high stick. Weber's goal was also on the power play, set up when Florida defenseman Brian Campbell was penalized for playing with a broken stick.
The Panthers (32-18-6), whose lead over the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division has been cut to four points, had few highlights with the exception of the NHL debut of center John McFarland. The 23-year-old was the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, who got pulled after allowing three first-period goals in Friday's loss to the St. Louis Blues, suffered through another slow start.
Nashville scored first, getting Jarnkrok's goal with 13:40 left in the first period. Salomaki's goal, with 11:36 left in the first period made it 2-0. Both Jarnkrok and Salomaki beat Luongo glove side.
The Predators made it 3-0 on Neal's power-play goal with 9:36 left in the second period. Nashville center Ryan Johansen's knuckling shot fooled Luongo and got behind him but not in until Neal tapped it in for the goal.
NOTES: Nashville rested G Pekka Rinne, who had started 45 of Nashville's previous 54 games. ... When Predators RW James Neal scored his 20th goal on Friday at Tampa Bay, he became just the seventh active player to reach that milestone eight years in a row. Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr accomplished the feat in each of his first 17 seasons. ... Nashville entered Saturday with more points from its defensemen than any team in the league. ... Nashville scratched C Cody Bass and D Petter Granberg. ... Panthers C Nick Bjugstad played in his 200th game. ... Florida C Aleksander Barkov (concussion) missed his third straight game. ... Panthers D Erik Gudbranson (shoulder) missed his fifth game in a row. ... Panthers D Willie Mitchell (lower body) hasn't played since Jan. 18. ... Panthers C Dave Bolland (lower body) hasn't played since Dec. 12. ... Florida scratched LW Shawn Thornton.