After sweeping Dallas in the Global Series last week held in Finland, the Panthers will return to North American ice tonight against the Nashville Predators. The Cats should be feeling refreshed (one hopes), after having a mini-vacation, with their last game having been played on 11/2. It will be nice being on home ice to host the struggling Predators. Nashville made a bunch of moves this summer and was crediting with having the best offseason by many hockey experts. However, despite adding the below players, the Preds have had an awful start to the 2024-25 campaign and sit at the bottom of the Central Division (behind the lowly Hawks) with a 4-8-1 record. - Steven Stamkos - Jonathan Marchessault - Brady Skejei - Scott Wedgewood Tonight is an ideal matchup for Florida team that is looking to get back into the flow of things. It will just be very important to not take Nashville lightly and get caught flat-footed.
The Panthers played good hockey in Finland. What stood out to me was that they looked like they were having fun. A bit more relaxed on the Global Series stage, Florida looked to be “light… on their skates (in a good way).
Will that carry over being back and ready to start a home stand?
J. Boqvist on kicking off the homestand: “It’s great being back again. A good road trip, for sure. A couple wins there. The team is playing good. It’s good coming back and hopefully we can keep building off that.…
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) November 7, 2024
One of the keys to Florida’s 9-3-1 start has been rolling out four solid lines. The Cats are getting production from everyone right now, whether that be scoring or defense/role players stepping up - they’re chugging. Again…lines 3 and 4 are legit.
#FlaPanthers projected lineup ⬇ï¸
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) November 7, 2024
Rodrigues - Barkov - Reinhart
Verhaeghe - Bennett - Tkachuk
Luostarinen - Lundell - J. Boqvist
Greer - Nosek - Samoskevich
Forsling - Ekblad
Mikkola - Kulikov
Balinskis - Schmidt
Bobrovsky
Knight
Verhaeghe on Florida's 9-3-1 start: “Everyone’s contributing and sticking to what makes us a good team. I think we’re just grinding games out, not winning the same way every night."
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) November 7, 2024
Go Panthers!