Panthers Pregamer 4.26.21 at NSH

APRIL 26, 2021 at NASHVILLE PREDATORS


Bridgestone Arena | 8:00 P.M. ET
Television: 
Bally Sports Florida | XFINITY 89 | Hotwire 44 & 444 | Blue Stream 100 | DTV HD 654-2 | AT&T 696 | AT&T HD 1696 | Atlantic Broadband 35
Radio: 560 WQAM| 850 WFTL | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM APP & STREAMING CH. 932

PANTHERS vs. PREDATORS

ALL-TIME vs. NSH: 19-10-3-6

ALL-TIME ROAD vs. NSH: 8-6-2-2

2020-21 vs. NSH: 4-1-1


TEAM STATS

 FLORIDA (31-13-5)NASHVILLE (26-21-2)
GOALS FOR157 (8th most)128 (21st most)
GOALS AGAINST131 (14th fewest)138 (19th fewest)
POWER PLAY %20.3 (T-15th)17.7 (25th)
PENALTY KILL %79.5 (T-16th)75.8 (28th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME34.1 (2nd most)29.8 (T-16th most)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME30.1 (16th fewest)31.0 (T-21st fewest)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %52.3 (8th)50.5 (14th)
FACEOFF WIN %50.3 (14th)51.8 (6th)


CATS STATS

  • The Panthers can clinch a playoff berth with a win of any fashion tonight vs. NSH, or if FLA earns one point and CAR defeats DAL in regulation.
  • Florida owns a 4-1-0 mark over its last five games against NSH. The Cats have topped the Predators in each of their two contests this season at Bridgestone Arena. Jonathan Huberdeau leads FLA with six goals and 10 points over the six games played of the season series between FLA and NSH. Chris Driedger owns a 2-0-0 mark vs. NSH this season with a .50 goals against average, .978 save percentage and one shutout. Over Florida’s last five games played against NSH they have allowed only one power play goal (90.9 – 10/11).
  • Approaching their last road trip of the regular season, the Panthers own a 2-0-1 record through their last three road contests. The Panthers own a 25.3 road power play percentage, ranking tied for fourth in the NHL. On the road, the Panthers have three different players who have scored a team-leading nine goals (Barkov, Hornqvist, Verhaeghe), while Jonathan Huberdeau leads the club with 26 points scored on the road (8-18-26).
  • Aleksander Barkov has produced nine goals and 12 points (9-3-11) over his last 12 games and five points (4-1-5) over his last five games. Barkov has tallied a goal in each of his last three games. He scored the OT game-winner on April 24 vs. CAR, becoming the fourth Panthers player in franchise history to have scored five OT goals in a Panthers uniform, joining Olli Jokinen (10), Aaron Ekblad (5) and Stephen Weiss (5).
  • With a two-goal game on April 22 vs. CAR, Barkov became the first Panthers player to reach the 20-goal mark this season. Barkov has registered at least 20 goals in six consecutive seasons, a franchise record. The 25-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, leads FLA in goals (22), even-strength goals (16), even-strength points (33-tied) and shots on goal (158), while ranking second on the club in points (49), assists (27) and takeaways (34). Barkov owns a team-best 54.4 faceoff win percentage while averaging 21:22 TOI per game, the most among all FLA forwards.
  • Jonathan Huberdeau ranks first on FLA in points (52), assists (36), power-play points (19) and even-strength points (33-tied). He has registered points in each of his last seven games (2-8-10), tied with Mackenzie Weegar (March 7-20), for the longest point streak by a Panther this season. Over his seven-game streak, Huberdeau owns a +11 rating and seven takeaways. Huberdeau has recorded 50 points in a season six times in his career. Florida’s franchise leader in assists (325) and points (489) has produced assists in each of his last four games, amassing six assists in that span.
  • Anthony Duclair enters tonight’s game with 11 points (3-8-11) over his last nine games played. Duclair has notched nine points through his last seven games (2-7-9) since he returned to the lineup from injury on April 13 at DAL. Over Duclair’s last seven games, he owns a team-best +13 rating, and has registered eight of his nine points at even-strength. Duclair’s +13 rating over his last seven games leads the NHL. The native of Pointe-Claire, Quebec, owns a career-best +22 rating this season, the second-highest on FLA and tied for the eighth-highest among NHL forwards.
  • Sam Bennett has registered six points (3-3-6) and 19 hits over his first five games with Florida and has scored three goals over his last four games. Bennett is the third Panthers player this season and the 12th in franchise history to record at least one point in each of his first three games with the club, joining Patric Hornqvist and Carter Verhaeghe. In his Panthers debut on April 17 at TBL, the 24-year-old registered two assists, a +3 rating and five hits. Bennett became the third Panthers player this season to have produced at least two points in their FLA debut joining Hornqvist and Eetu Luostarinen (Jan. 17 vs. CHI). Acquired from CGY on April 12, Bennett has recorded points in eight of his last nine games played, amassing 11 points over that span (3-8-11).
  • With a career-high four-point game (1-3-4) on April 24 vs. CAR, MacKenzie Weegar tied the Panthers franchise record for points by a defenseman in a game. Weegar became the seventh defenseman in franchise history to record four points in a game. Of the seven defensemen to have recorded four points in a game, Weegar is the only one who posted a shorthanded point. Weegar ranks tied for second among NHL defensemen in even-strength points (26) and first in takeaways (36). His +21 rating ranks third on FLA and tied for sixth among NHL defensemen. He leads FLA in blocked shots (69) and ranks second on the club in hits (108). Weegar’s career-high 29 points and 25 assists lead all FLA defensemen.
  • Radko Gudas leads the NHL in hits (218), averaging 4.54 hits per game and ranks tied for second on FLA in blocked shots (59).
  • Over his last 14 games, Gustav Forsling has recorded seven points (2-5-7), 27 shots on goal, nine takeaways and a +11 rating, while averaging 21:15 TOI and leading FLA in total SH-TOI (35:41). Over that span, Forsling’s +11 rating is tied for fourth in the NHL among defensemen.
  • Frank Vatrano enters tonight’s game with four points (2-2-4) over his last five games and has produced seven goals and 10 points over his last 13 games. The 27-year-old native of East Longmeadow, Mass., leads the Cats with six game-winning goals and ranks tied for second on FLA in goals (17), and even-strength goals (15). Vatrano is three goals shy of his second career season with at least 20 goals.
  • Sergei Bobrovsky has posted five wins over his last eight starts, logging a .921 save percentage and .932 even-strength save percentage over that span. He is five wins shy of his 300th NHL win, joining Evgeni Nabokov (353) and Nikolai Khabibulin (333) as only the third Russian-born goaltender to earn 300 wins in the NHL. Bobrovsky’s 17 wins on the season rank tied for sixth in the NHL.
  • Chris Driedger owns a 6-2-1 mark over his past nine starts, earning wins in five of his last seven appearances. Over the nine-game span since March 20, Driedger has posted a .931 save percentage, 1.77 goals against average and two shutouts. His goals against average over his last nine starts ranks second among all goaltenders (min: 8 GP) since March 20. Driedger earned an assist on Aleksander Barkov‘s OT goal on April 24 vs. CAR becoming the fourth goaltender in franchise history to record an assist on an OT game-winner, joining Ed BelfourRoberto Luongo and John Vanbiesbrouck.
  • Patric Hornqvist leads FLA with eight power play goals and ranks fourth on the Panthers with 32 points (14-18-32). Hornqvist has produced points in four of his last five games played (2-2-4).
  • Brandon Montour tallied his first goal with FLA on April 17 at TBL. Over six games with the Panthers, Montour has averaged 19:40 TOI and has posted a +6 rating, nine shots, 12 hits, six blocked shots and six takeaway.
  • Nikita Gusev has posted two assists over his last three games.
  • The Panthers own a 5-1-1 record over their last seven games. Over that span Florida has scored at least three goals in a game five times.


RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– April 17: F Cole Schwindt, F Scott Wilson reassigned from SYR to Taxi Squad, F Aleksi Heponiemi, D Lucas Carlsson, D Brady Keeper reassigned from Taxi Squad to SYR
– April 15: D Brandon Montour, D Noah Juulsen activated to active roster
– April 13: F Sam Bennett, F Nikita Gusev added to active roster, F Anthony Duclair activated from IR, F Lucas Wallmark, G Spencer Knight

recalled from Taxi Squad, D Kevin Connauton loaned to Taxi Squad
– April 12: F Sam Bennett and 2022 6th round pick acquired from CGY in exchange for F Emil Heineman and a 2022 2nd round pick

– April 11: F Nikita Gusev signed to a 1-year contract

– April 10: D Brandon Montour acquired from BUF in exchange for 2021 3rd round pick, D Kevin Connauton recalled from Taxi Squad, D Brady Keeper loaned to Taxi Squad

FLA-NSH CONNECTIONS

  • FLA forward Patric Hornqvist was selected by the Predators in the seventh round (230th overall) of the 2005 NHL Draft. He played 363 games for Nashville (2008-09 to 2013-14), recording 216 points (106-110-216). Hornqvist also played in 24 playoff games with the Predators (2009-10 to 2011-12), notching eight points (3-5-8).
  • NSH forward Erik Haula played seven regular season games and four playoff games for FLA (2019-20), producing two assists in the regular season and one goal in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
  • NSH forward Rocco Grimaldi was selected by the Panthers in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He played 27 games for Florida (2014-15 to 2015-16), recording six points (4-2-6). He also played two playoff games for the Panthers in 2015-16.
  • NSH defenseman Erik Gudbranson was selected by the Panthers in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 309 games for Florida (2011-12 to 2015-16), producing  43 points (11-32-43). He also played in 13 playoff games with FLA (2011-12 and 2015-16).
  • FLA Special Advisor to the General Manager Roberto Luongo and NSH forward Matt Duchene played together for Team Canada at the 2014 Olympics Games in Sochi, Russia, earning Gold Medals.
  • FLA forward Aleksander Barkov and NSH forward Mikael Granlund were teammates on Team Finland at the 2014 Olympics, earning Bronze medals. Barkov, Haula, and Granlund and NSH goaltender Pekka Rinne were also teammates at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
  • FLA defenseman Anton Stralman, FLA forward Patric Hornqvist, NSH defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and NSH forward Filip Forsberg were teammates on Team Sweden at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
  • FLA defenseman Aaron Ekblad and NSH forward Matt Duchene were teammates on Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Championships, earning Gold Medals.
  • FLA defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, NSH defenseman Mark Borowiecki, and NSH defenseman Erik Gudbranson share the hometown of Ottawa, Ontario.
  • FLA defenseman Markus Nutivaara and NSH forward Mikael Granlund share the hometown of Oulu, Finland.
  • FLA defenseman Kevin Connauton and NSH defenseman  Matt Benning share the hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.
  • NSH defenseman Matt Benning is the older brother of FLA prospect Michael Benning.
  • FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Paul Fenton spent 20 years with the Predators organization, serving as Director of Player Personnel (1998-99 to 2005-06), Assistant General Manager (2006-07 to 2017-18), and General Manager of the Milwaukee Admirals (2013-14 to 2017-18).
  • FLA Assistant to the General Manager Blake Geoffrion was raised in Nashville and was selected by the Predators in the second round (56th overall) of the 2006 NHL Draft. He played 42 games for the Predators (2010-11 to 2011-12), producing 11 points (6-5-11).
  • FLA Director of European Amateur Scouting Jari Kekalainen’solder brother Janne has served as a scout for Nashville since 1999-00.
  • FLA Assistant Coach Andrew Brunette played 77 games for Nashville (1998-99), registering 31 points (11-20-31).

CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY

Franchise GoalsFranchise AssistsFranchise Points
1. Olli Jokinen (188)1. Jonathan Huberdeau (325)1. Jonathan Huberdeau (489)
2. Aleksander Barkov (177)2. Aleksander Barkov (279)2. Aleksander Barkov (456)
3. Jonathan Huberdeau (164)3. Stephen Weiss (249)3. Olli Jokinen (419)
4. Scott Mellanby (157)4. Olli Jokinen (231)4. Stephen Weiss (394)
5. Pavel Bure (152)5. Robert Svehla (229)5. Scott Mellanby (354)


PANTHERS LEADERS

Games Played: 4 Players (49)

Goals: Barkov (22)

Assists: Huberdeau (36)

Points: Huberdeau (52)

Power-Play Goals: Hornqvist (8)

Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (19)

Shorthanded Goals: Barkov/Verhaeghe/Wennberg (1)

Shorthanded Points: Weegar (2)

Shots: Barkov (158)

PIM: Weegar (41)
+/-: Verhaeghe (+23)

Faceoff Win % (Min. 100 faceoffs): Barkov (54.4)

Blocked Shots: Weegar (69)

Hits: Gudas (218)

TOI/GP: Ekblad (25:05)

PP TOI/GP: Yandle (4:23)

SH TOI/GP: Acciari (2:45)

Wins: Bobrovsky (17)

Shutouts: Driedger (2)

ACTIVE STREAKS

Goal Streak        Barkov (3 Games, 4 Goals)

Assist Streak      Huberdeau (4 Games, 6 Assists)

Point Streak       Huberdeau (7 Games, 2-8-10), Barkov (3 Games, 4-0-4)