How to Watch Panthers at Senators: New Lines, Goalies, Betting

With Sasha Barkov out of the lineup again today against the Senators in Ottawa, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has been forced to mix up his lines.

But, with the Panthers having scored two goals or fewer in the past four games, this gives him a chance to “see if we can get a couple of guys going offensively.’’

Maurice is pairing Sam Reinhart with Sam Bennett and Jesper Boqvist; he is also trying out Brad Marchand with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.

And Carter Verhaeghe, who has not scored in 11 games, goes with Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich.

There should be some speed right there.

Barkov, Maurice said, is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He will not play today in Ottawa or Sunday evening in Detroit.

Nico Sturm is also out with an upper-body injury after landing face-first on the ice upon colliding with A.J. Greer at center ice Tuesday in Montreal.

Both could return to the lineup when the Panthers return home next week.

Until then, Maurice is going to tinker.

When it comes to playing Marchand with Lundell and Luostarinen, he compared that move to playing Vladimir Tarasenko on the right side of that line during the playoffs last year.

— The Panthers clinch a playoff berth today with a win in regulation, overtime, or shootout.

Barring that, the Panthers can also get in if they get a point and either the Rangers lose to the Devils in any fashion, or the Canadiens lose to the Flyers in regulation.

Florida can lose in regulation and still get in — only if both of the following occur: the Blue Jackets lose to the Maple Leafs in any fashion, and the Rangers lose to the Devils in regulation.

NOTES: PANTHERS @ SENATORS

• Brady Tkachuk is not expected to play today as he has not resumed skating after a hit from Pittsburgh defenseman Ryan Graves in a 1-0 overtime loss Sunday.
• How to Watch: Tonight’s game is on local TV and can be streamed locally on Panthers+. Those who live outside the Panthers viewing territory can stream the game on ESPN+.
• Starting Goalies: Sergei Bobrovsky returns Saturday in Ottawa, meaning Vitek Vanecek could go Sunday in Detroit. The Senators will start Anton Forsberg over former Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark.
• NHL Betting Odds: The local book has Florida as a very slight favorite (-125) on the money line. To win with the Panthers, a $125 bet pays $100.

ON DECK: GAME No. 76

FLORIDA PANTHERS at OTTAWA SENATORS 

• When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
• Where: Canada Tire Center, Ottawa
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Betting Odds — Panthers Favored: Money Line (-125); Puck line (-1.5, +180); Over/Under 5.5 (-105/-115)
• Last Season: Panthers won 4-0
• This Season (Tied 1-1) — At Ottawa: Senators 3, Panthers 1 (Oct 10); Saturday. At Florida: Panthers 5, Senators 1 (Feb. 8).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Ottawa leads 58-49-5, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Sunday at Detroit Red Wings, 5:30 p.m. (TNT/tru)

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (44-27-4) LINES

70 Jesper Boqvist // 9 Sam Bennett // 13 Sam Reinhart

27 Eetu Luostarinen // 15 Anton Lundell // 63 Brad Marchand

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 17 Evan Rodrigues // 25 Mackie Samoskevich

10 A.J. Greer // 92 Tomas Nosek // 12 Jonah Gadjovich

42 Gus Forsling // 3 Seth Jones

77 Niko Mikkola // 88 Nate Schmidt

26 Uvis Balinskis // 6 Jaycob Megna

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

41 Vitek Vanecek

Scratched: None

Suspended: Aaron Ekblad

Injured: Matthew Tkachuk (lower body/LTIR), Dmitry Kulikov (upper body), Nico Sturm (upper body), Sasha Barkov (upper body)

PROJECTED OTTAWA SENATORS (40-29-6) LINES

28 Claude Giroux // 18 Tim Stutzle // 20 Fabian Zetterlund

57 David Perron // 24 Dylan Cozens // 19 Drake Batherson

71 Ridly Greig // 12 Shane Pinto // 22 Michael Amadio

15 Matthew Highmore // 81 Adam Gaudette // 59 Angus Crookshank

85 Jake Sanderson // 2 Artem Zub

72 Thomas Chabot // 3 Nick Jensen

43 Tyler Kleven // 33 Nikolas Matinpalo

31 Anton Forsberg

35 Linus Ullmark

Scratched: Dennis Gilbert, Travis Hamonic

Injured: Nick Cousins (knee), Brady Tkachuk (upper body)

Ottawa Senators Lines Courtesy NHL.com