Ekblad's four points boost Panthers to win against Predators

NASHVILLE -- Aaron Ekblad had an NHL career-high four points for the Florida Panthers in a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Aleksander Barkov had three assists, Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for the Panthers (14-4-4), who had lost two in a row. They extended their point streak to four games (2-0-2).
With two goals and two assists, Ekblad tied the Panthers record for most points by a defenseman in a regular-season game, shared with seven players.
"I thought [Ekblad] had a great game," Florida coach Joel Quenneville said. "He did everything right on both ends, terrific goal on the power play that put us in a really good spot. Did a lot of good things. It was one of those nights where he had the magic touch."

Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, Viktor Arvidsson had three assists, and Pekka Rinne made 33 saves for the Predators (10-13-0), who have lost two straight.
"You look at tonight, it could have been three or four to nothing in the first probably seven minutes of the game," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "In tonight's game, we gave up odd-man rushes, our [defensemen] were pinching at the wrong times, our forwards had to reload a little bit more. It comes to the urgency that you need to be able to play with to establish the game."
The teams will finish the two-game set here Saturday.
Carter Verhaeghe gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 6:29 of the first period when he got to a rebound in front.

Mason Marchment made it 2-0 at 9:01 with his first NHL goal, on a wrist shot from the right face-off circle.
"It was definitely special," said the forward, playing his ninth NHL game. "I had a good opportunity to score the shift before that too. I tried to go high, and this time just tried to go low. Lucky it went in, and it was an awesome experience."
Huberdeau extended the Florida lead to 3-0 at 59 seconds of the second period, scoring from the slot off a pass from Patric Hornqvist.

Mattias Ekholm cut it to 3-1 at 12:23 on a slap shot from the point. It was his fourth goal in the past four games.
Ekblad made it 4-1 on the power play at 18:44.
Forsberg cut it to 4-2 on a redirection at 19:34.
Ekblad scored another power-play goal from the top of the slot on the rush to make it 5-2 at 9:07 of the third period.
"We always want [defensemen] in the rush," Ekblad said. "[Quenneville] is a big believer and pushes us to do that every night. I've just been trying to move my feet. I say it to myself before every game, 'Skate, skate, skate.' It's been working this year. I think that's the basis of it all, just moving my feet and trying to put myself in good positions."
Colton Sissons cut it to 5-3 at 12:40.
Ryan Johansen, who came out of NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday, pulled Nashville within 5-4 with 1:13 left and Rinne pulled for the extra attacker.
Florida killed off all 1:45 of a 5-on-3 power play in the second period.
The Predators had a goal by Rocco Grimaldi overturned at 1:58 of the third after Quenneville challenged for offside. And Forsberg had a goal disallowed at 14:30 of the third because of a slashing penalty on Nashville defenseman Roman Josi.
"We come out and we're slow, they're obviously playing way better than us in the first," Forsberg said. "That kind of puts yourself in a bad spot. After that, I think in the second period, we were starting to play the right way. And obviously in the third again, desperation kicks in and we're playing great. We're creating chances and had a couple more chances that could've went in, two goals that were disallowed. We've just got to play like that from the start."
NOTES: Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman did not play in the third period. Quenneville said he is day to day with a lower-body injury. … Predators forward Matt Duchene left the game with an undisclosed injury after taking one shift in the third. There was no update. … Nashville forward Brad Richardson had an assist and played 13:09 in his return after missing 14 games with a lower-body injury.