George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers had hoped to officially clinch a playoff berth with a victory Monday night against the host Nashville Predators.
Alas, it will have to wait another day.
Nashville, trying to hold onto the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division, took its first lead early in the second period and did not give it back as the Predators beat the Panthers 4-1 at Bridgestone Arena.
Florida could have gotten in the playoffs without winning Monday, but that would have meant going to overtime.
That did not happen after Nashville scored twice in the third period.
The Panthers and Preds do it again Tuesday night. Perhaps Tuesday will be Florida’s night.
Monday certainly was not.
”Every game for them is a do-or-die game and we want to match that intensity,” Radko Gudas said. “I thought we did for parts of the game but we just didn’t get it done today.”
Sergei Bobrovsky will likely be back in net Tuesday after he came on to relieve starter Chris Driedger with 4:45 left in the second period.
Joel Quenneville had said Driedger was dealing with a lower-body issue last week and would “miss a few games” before he came back and started Saturday against Carolina.
The team announced that it was a LBI which took Driedger from the game.
Quenneville would not elaborate on whether it was the same injury, but it sure sounds like it. He said whatever it is was “progressively deteriorating as the game went on so we thought it was prudent to take him out at that time.”
He said earlier it was a day-to-day deal. He said the Panthers will “go the way we thought we would go” in Tuesday’s game which probably means Bobrovsky.
On Monday, Florida got the scoring going early on with Bennett doing the honors 4:49 into the game.
On a delayed penalty called on old pal Erik Gudbranson, the Panthers sent in the sixth attacker and Anthony Duclair fired a shot from the left circle.
The puck clipped Bennett’s skate as he camped out on the side of the net and it went past Juuse Saros (34 saves) and it was 1-0.
Nashville took advantage of its first power play not long after Florida scored with Mikael Granlund scoring to tie the score.
With the game tied at 1 going into the second, Nashville took its first lead at 3:35 when Nick Cousins batted in a loose puck past Driedger (14 saves) to make it a 2-1 game.
Nashville, and Saros especially, did not give the lead back.
The Panthers were aggressive throughout the second period upon going down a goal with Saros making 22 saves in the period.
Erik Haula, whom the Panthers acquired at last year’s trade deadline but let walk as a free agent, made it a 3-1 game when he scored at 2:39 of the third.
Midway through the period, Yakov Trenin deflected a shot in front of Bobrovsky to make it 4-1.
Ballgame on Broadway.
Florida ended up outshooting the Predators 39-27 with a big advantage in shot attempts at 64-39.
Still, it did not look like Saros had to do all that much. Quenneville and Duclair agreed.
”A little more traffic, a little bit tougher around the net for him,” Quenneville said when asked what Florida could have done better.
“He saw a lot of shots. Our shot selection was poor but the quantity wasn’t bad. It was one of those nights where the efficiency would have been nice to go in especially in the second. That could have got us excited.”
Said Duclair: “We need to get more traffic, we’re shooting the puck a lot but he saw everything. We will look at the video tomorrow and be better, give him some more traffic. Throw some bodies at the net.’’
Having Patric Hornqvist back in the lineup (he took Monday off) could help in that regard.
HUBERDEAU A ‘STAR’
Jonathan Huberdeau was named one of the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week after notching seven points in his four games last week.
San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau and Minnesota Wild goaltender Cam Talbot were the first and second stars respectively.
Last week, Huberdeau led the NHL with seven points as the Panthers went 3-1 with a sweep of Columbus and split with Carolina.
Huberdeau came into the week as Florida’s leading scorer with 16 goals and 52 points; that ranked 14th in the league.
“He’s a special, special talent. When he’s on his game, I don’t think anyone can stop him,’’ Vatrano said.
“The way he sees the ice, the way he makes plays, he’s got that competitive edge to him. He scores goals, makes the big-time plays.’’
ON THEIR WAY BACK
The Panthers had Noel Acciari back in the lineup on Monday night after he missed the past five games with an undisclosed upper body injury.
Acciari opened the game in Nashville on the top line with Sasha Barkov and Vatrano.
Quenneville also said Mason Marchment is expected back in the coming games and would likely play on this road trip.
Carter Verhaeghe, Quenneville said, would play before the end of the regular season.
GEORGE’S THREE STARS OF THE NIGHT
1. Juuse Saros, Nashville
2. Sam Bennett, Florida
3. Erik Haula, Nashville
ON DECK: PANTHERS AT PREDATORS
When: Tuesday, 8
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
Season series: Florida leads 4-2-1
TV: BS-SUN, Fox Sports Go
Radio: WQAM 560-AM