GameDay 51: Lineups, Betting Odds for Predators at Panthers

The Florida Panthers have been absolutely on first since late December and they will try and keep their winning ways going Tuesday night in Sunrise.

Florida is now 17-3-1 since Dec. 28 following a three-game road sweep of Carolina, Minnesota and Chicago coming out of a two-week All-Star break.

On Thursday, the Nashville Predators come to Sunrise as the Panthers play their first home game in three weeks.

Nashville will be trying to get their game back on track.

The Preds have not handled their return from a little break well at all as they have lost all four games since coming back.

Tuesday’s game against the Panthers kicks off a big week for the Predators. On Thursday, the team will retire its first number as Pekka Rinne’s No. 35 goes to the Bridgestone Arena roster.

Saturday night, the Preds will play the Lightning at the Titans’ football stadium.

As for the Panthers, this is the start of a five-game homestand as the team tries to set yet another a franchise record for consecutive home wins.

Florida comes into the night with wins in its past nine at FLA Live Arena and could tie the 11-game home winning streak with wins against the Predators tonight and Columbus on Thursday.

A win Saturday afternoon against Edmonton would set the record.

But that’s jumping way ahead.

Florida will have Sergei Bobrovsky back in net tonight as he has won his past six starts.

The Panthers are also expected to activate Maxim Mamin from IR and not play Noel Acciari. Mamin would rejoin Sasha Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe on the top line.

As for the roster move which is needed to activate Mamin, one would be assigning Owen Tippett to AHL Charlotte.

Tippett, along with Acciari, were working with the scratches following Tuesday’s morning skate.

FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS VS NASHVILLE PREDATORS

• When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• Tickets: CLICK HERE
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM, SiriusXM
• Fanduel’s NHL odds — Florida favored: Puck line (-1.5, +112); Money line (-220); Over/Under 6.5 (-122/+100)
• Last season: Florida won 5-2-1
• All-time regular season series: Florida leads 20-11-6, 3 ties
• This season: First meeting

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS LINEUP

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 16 Sasha Barkov // 98 Maxim Mamin

11 Jonathan Huberdeau // 8 Sam Bennett // 10 Anthony Duclair

17 Mason Marchment  // 15 Anton Lundell // 13 Sam Reinhart

94 Ryan Lomberg // 27 Eetu Luostarinen // 70 Patric Hornqvist

52 MacKenzie Weegar // 5 Aaron Ekblad

42 Gus Forsling // 7 Radko Gudas

32 Lucas Carlsson // 62 Brandon Montour

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

35 Jonas Johansson

Scratched: Noel Acciari, Frank Vatrano, Olli Juolevi

Injured: Markus Nutivaara (LTIR), Maxim Mamin (IR), Joe Thornton (IR)

Assigned to Charlotte: Owen Tippett (projected)

PROJECTED NASHVILLE PREDATORS LINEUP

9 Filip Forsberg // 64 Mikael Granlund // 95 Matt Duchene

28 Eeli Tolvanen // 92 Ryan Johansen // 11 Luke Kunin

13 Yakov Trenin // 10 Colton Sissons // 84 Tanner Jeannot

24 Matt Luff /// 47 Michael McCarron // 25 Philip Tomasino

59 Roman Josi // 57 Dante Fabbro

14 Mattias Ekholm // 45 Alexandre Carrier

90 Mark Borowiecki // 5 Matt Benning

74 Juuse Saros

33 David Rittich