Panthers at Predators
The Nashville Predators are having trouble scoring and the Florida Panthers are having greater difficulty preventing their opponents from doing so. The Predators look to exploit their home-ice advantage and Florida's defensive deficiencies when the teams square off Tuesday in Nashville. Rookie defenseman Seth Jones, the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, scored his first goal Saturday in the Predators' best effort of the season, a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders.
It is the fourth contest of a five-game homestand for Nashville, which scored more than two goals for the first time in the victory over the Islanders. The Panthers surrendered seven tallies on two occasions before turning in their best performance in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. They were unable to sustain the momentum, laying an egg in a 3-0 home loss to Los Angeles on Sunday. "We have no game where we can have a letdown," Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell said.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN (Florida)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (2-4-0): An injury to starting netminder Tim Thomas, who was hurt in the third game, has forced Jacob Markstrom into full-time duty, and the results have been rocky. Markstrom, who went 8-14-1 with a 3.22 goals-against average in 23 games last season, has surrendered 13 goals in the last three contests. Center Nick Bjugstad, who suffered a concussion in September, practiced Monday and could make his season debut against the Predators.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (2-3-0): Nashville has managed only nine goals through five games but is hoping to build on Saturday's win, when it outshot the Islanders 31-16. Forward Viktor Stalberg, who signed a four-year, $12 million contract in the offseason, made his season debut Saturday after being sidelined with a shoulder injury. "We missed him the first four games," center Mike Fisher said. "He brings a lot of speed and some skill, and another offensive weapon for us."
EXTRA POINTS
1. Predators G Pekka Rinne is 2-2-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average versus the Panthers.
2. The Panthers are allowing an average of four goals and 31.2 shots per game.
3. Nashville owns a seven-game home winning streak - five wins and two ties - versus Florida.