SUNRISE, Fla. --The Florida Panthers will look to build off a strong finish to their road trip when they return home to kick off a back-to-back set with the Columbus Blue Jackets at BB&T Center on Monday.
"Let's make sure we respect our opponent here," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. "It's one of those games where you're coming back [from the road] and you want to play the right way and keep it as simple as possible knowing a workman-like effort is going to be necessary."
Preview: Panthers Expect 'Workman-Like Effort' in Battle with Columbus
Closing out their six-game trek by taking three out of a possible four points from their intrastate rival, the Panthers enter tonight's matchup fresh off a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. In the win, Brandon Montour, Patric Hornqvist, Jonathan Huberdeau, Frank Vatrano and Anthony Duclair all found the back of the net for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 of 31 shots.
Making his Panthers debut after being acquired from the Calgary Flames at last week's trade deadline, Sam Bennett notched a pair of assists and also dished out five hits while centering Huberdeau and Duclair. Overall, that trio combined for four points and was the team's top-possession line.
Excited for his first game in Sunrise, Bennett hopes to build upon that strong first showing.
"I think we played fast," Bennett said. "We were hunting pucks and controlled pucks. For me, I was trying to keep it simple early. We got some good looks and chances and capitalized on them. It's great playing with them and I'm just looking to keep building on that chemistry."
Returning to the crease, Bobrovsky will be between the pipes against his former team tonight. Owning a 16-7-2 record, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner has gone 4-2-0 with a .920 save percentage over his last six starts. In seven career starts against Columbus, he's gone 5-1-1.
Up front, Barkov and Huberdeau are tied for the scoring lead on the Panthers with 45 points apiece. Of the two, Barkov has been carrying a particularly hot stick as of late, filling up the back of the net to the tune of 10 goals over his last 14 games to push his total to a team-leading 18.
Already without three key players in Carter Verhaeghe (upper body), Noel Acciari (upper body) and Aaron Ekblad (lower body), the Cats will take the ice tonight without MacKenzie Weegar, who Quenneville said is currently being considered as "day-to-day" with an upper-body injury.
One half of the team's top-defensive pairing, Weegar has recorded a career-high 25 points.
"Everybody contributes to our success, and that's why we're a good team," Huberdeau said of the team's ability to battle through the injury bug this season. "I think we can't look at who is injured and who has gone down. I think we've just to be positive and look ahead."
Speaking of the road ahead, the home stretch is shaping up to be a doozy.
With 11 games left on their schedule, the Panthers (28-12-5) currently trail the Carolina Hurricanes (29-10-4) by just one point for first place in the Central Division. And even though they'll close out the week with two huge games against Carolina, the Cats know they can't overlook Columbus.
In six games against the Blue Jackets this season, the Panthers boast a 5-0-1 record.
"We're focused," Huberdeau said. "We've got to get every point that we need. I think every game is important until the end. We don't worry about the other team, it's about us. Tonight against Columbus, we don't look ahead. We focus on us, and the way we play is how we're going to dictate our game. It feels good to be at home, so let's start this stretch the right way."
Falling farther and farther out of the playoff race in the Central Division, the Blue Jackets have dropped 12 of their last 14 games. Their last time out, they saw their losing streak pushed to five games with a 5-1 loss to the Stars. During their current skid, they've been outscored 23-12.
Struggling to find success at both ends of the ice, Columbus ranks 28th in the league on offense (2.43 goals per game) and 26th in defense (3.28 goals allowed per game). That being said, three of the six games they've played against Florida this season have been decided by just one goal.
Doing a lot of heavy lifting on offense, Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists), while Cam Atkinson and Jack Roslovic are tied for second with 29 points apiece. Always a threat to score when he's on the ice, Bjorkstrand has accrued six points -- including a team-leading four goals -- in six games against the Panthers this season.
According to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, Max Domi, who has notched 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 46 games this season, will be a healthy scratched for Columbus tonight.
Manning the blue paint opposite Bobrovsky, Elvis Merzlikins is expected to get the nod in net for the Blue Jackets. Owning a 6-10-2 record -- including a 1-1-1 mark against Florida -- the 27-year-old goaltender has gone 0-5-0 while posting a .886 save percentage in his last six outings.
"We know how good we are," Huberdeau said. "We have confidence in the dressing room. We added pieces that have helped us. I just like the way we're playing. I think we're a tough team to play against every night. That's what we wanted to be. That's how you win."
TEAM RECORDS
FLA: 28-12-5, 61 PTS
CBJ:15-22-9, 39 PTS
FLA all-time vs. CBJ:15-14-10
PANTHERS NOTES
-- Aleksander Barkov leads Florida in goals (18) and shots on goal (143), while also ranking tied for first in points (45). Over his last eight games, he's accumulated five goals and three assists.
-- Jonathan Huberdeau ranks tied for first on the Panthers in scoring with 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists). On a three-game point streak, he's tallied one goal and two assists in that span.
-- Patric Hornqvist ranks fifth on the Panthers in goals (14), including eight on the power play. He also ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 30 points, marking his eighth consecutive season registering at least that many points.
-- Radko Gudas leads Florida and ranks second in the NHL in hits with 200.
-- Frank Vatrano sits tied for third on the Panthers in goals with 15. He also leads the club in overtime goals (3) and game-winning goals (6). In his last nine games, he's posted five goals.
-- Entering tonight's matchup on a five-game point streak, Anthony Duclair has produced three goals and two assists in that span. Of his 19 points this season, 18 have come at even-strength.
-- Markus Nutivaara has recorded four assists over his last three games.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Mason Marchment - Aleksander Barkov - Nikita Gusev
Jonathan Huberdeau - Sam Bennett - Anthony Duclair
Frank Vatrano - Alex Wennberg - Patric Hornqvist
Juho Lammikko - Lucas Wallmark - Owen Tippett
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling - Anton Stralman
Keith Yandle - Radko Gudas
Markus Nutivaara - Brandon Montour
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Chris Driedger
Scratches:Ryan Lomberg, Matt Kiersted, Noah Juulsen, Spencer Knight, Eetu Luostarinen, Carter Verhaeghe (upper body), Noel Acciari (upper body), MacKenzie Weegar (upper body)
Taxi squad:Kevin Connauton, Scott Wilson, Cole Schwindt, Philippe Desrosiers
Injured reserve: Aaron Ekblad (lower body)
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- April 17: F Cole Schwindt and F Scott Wilson were reassigned from AHL Syracuse to the Taxi Squad; F Aleksi Heponiemi, D Lucas Carlsson and D Brady Keeper were reassigned from the Taxi Squad to AHL Syracuse.
- April 14: D Brandon Montour and D Noah Juulsen were activated to Florida's active roster.
- April 13: F Sam Bennett and F Nikita Gusev were added to Florida's to active roster; F Anthony Duclair was activated from IR; F Lucas Wallmark and G Spencer Knight were recalled from the Taxi Squad; D Kevin Connauton was loaned to the Taxi Squad.
- April 12: The Panthers acquired F Sam Bennett and 2022 sixth-round pick from Calgary in exchange for F Emil Heineman and a 2022 second-round pick.
IN-ARENA ACTIVATIONS
-
50/50 Raffle
-
"Wear a Mask Night," presented by Baptist Health South Florida
. All fans in attendance will recieve a Panthers-Baptist Health co-branded mask.
- A limited number of fans will be admitted to BB&T Center for home games this season. Learn that have been taken as a part of the "Red Reminders" program presented in conjunction with Baptist Health South Florida at
FloridaPanthers.com/RedReminders
.
- Mobile Ordering is now available at BB&T Center for Panthers games. Visit
FloridaPanthers.com/MobileOrdering
for all the info.
HOW TO WATCH / LISTEN
When: Monday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET
Where:BB&T Center
TV:Bally Sports Florida
Stream:
FOX Sports GO
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); 107.9 FM/1370 AM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM Ch. 219 / Streaming Ch. 932
Tickets:
HERE
Pre-Game Listen: Check out the first episode of "Around the NHL," featuring interviews with TSN's Ray Ferraro and ESPN's Emily Kaplan!
