Panthers at Predators
The Nashville Predators haven’t missed a beat with two of their top forwards injured and look to remain unbeaten on their five-game homestand when they face the Florida Panthers on Saturday. The Predators are 5-1-1 since leading scorer Filip Forsberg was lost to an upper-body injury and 2-0-0 following Viktor Arvidsson's lower-body ailment, including Thursday’s 3-2 shootout triumph over Arizona.
“It means we have a lot of depth and a lot of character in here,” Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis told reporters. “Obviously, those are some of our top forwards. We have a lot of great players in here, the way everyone is stepping up, it seems to be someone different every night filling in where we need it. That’s what championship teams do. They find ways to win.” The Predators go for a fifth consecutive overall victory and sixth straight game with at least one point when they take on Florida, which knocked off Western Conference-leading Vegas 4-3 in overtime on Friday. The Panthers, who had been off for a week, received a goal and two assists from All-Star center Aleksander Barkov along with the game-winning tally from defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Florida plays four of its next five contests on the road, where it is 8-12-3.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (19-19-6): Barkov has collected four goals and six assists in his last six games to push his total to 43 points - second on the team behind Jonathan Huberdeau (45), who has notched at least one in six straight contests. Vincent Trocheck has recorded five of his 42 points in his last three contests while Evgenii Dadonov has posted three goals and three assists in a five-game span. If Florida is going to make a run at a playoff spot, it will have to get the power-play unit in gear as it has converted only two of its 26 opportunities over the last 11 contests.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (27-11-6): Nashville has allowed just six goals during its four-game winning streak and entered the weekend fourth in the league in goals allowed (2.55) and tied for second in shutouts (four). Defenseman P.K. Subban is the team's leading active scorer with 33 points after recording eight over his last eight games, while Ellis was the offensive star on Thursday with a goal and an assist. The Predators will need more from Kevin Fiala (11 goals, 27 points), who has notched one point in his last 10 contests, and Ryan Johansen (three assists in his last nine games).
OVERTIME
1. The Panthers won both meetings with the Predators last season, including a 7-4 victory at Nashville in February.
2. Nashville C Kyle Turris, who has registered 19 points in 29 games since being acquired from Ottawa, is two assists shy of 200 for his career.
3. Florida LW Jamie McGinn scored his sixth goal of the season Friday and is two points away from 200 in the NHL.