Panthers at Predators
The Florida Panthers begin a five-game road trip that will go a long way toward determining their playoff fate Saturday when they visit the Nashville Predators. The Panthers won’t take any momentum into the trek, which includes three contests in California, after suffering a 6-3 loss to Los Angeles at home on Thursday - a game that caused coach Tom Rowe to tell reporters he would burn the tape.
“We came off the break feeling good,” Florida center Vincent Trocheck told reporters of the game, which came after six days off and a 3-0-1 stretch. “We just didn’t think about the extra preparation it would take to have the success we recently had. We just thought things would pick right back up.” The Predators alternated wins and losses in the last eight games (4-3-1) after coughing up a two-goal lead in a 4-3 loss at the New York Rangers on Thursday. Nashville, which is clinging to one of the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference, tries to avenge a 2-1 loss at Florida on Jan. 6. Goalie Pekka Rinne (21-14-6, .923 save percentage), who allowed three goals in three games before being rested Thursday, is expected back in net for the Predators.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (23-20-10): Forward Jonathan Marchessault recorded his third goal in four games Thursday to push his total to 16 – two behind team-leader Trocheck, who managed only one point in three outings since playing on the All-Star weekend. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau notched a goal and an assist in his first two contests of the season after missing the first 51 with an Achilles injury. Goalies James Reimer (9-6-4, .915 save percentage) and Roberto Luongo (14-14-6, .917) each allowed three goals Thursday.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (26-20-8): Defenseman P.K. Subban, who missed a month to injury, recorded two assists Thursday for his first multi-point game since scoring twice against Tampa Bay on Nov. 21. Center Ryan Johansen boasts four points in four contests to push his team-leading total to 40 – five more than right wing Viktor Arvidsson, who owns three goals and two assists in a four-game span. Nashville needs more from forwards James Neal (team-best 17 goals) and Filip Forsberg (34 points), who have not scored in the last six games.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville F Calle Jarnkrok registered four goals and four assists over the last seven contests.
2. Florida’s veteran RW Jaromir Jagr had an assist Thursday and moved within two of 1,900 points.
3. Predators LW Cody McLeod boasts three goals in 12 games since being acquired from Colorado, where he scored once in 28 contests.