Game Preview: Islanders vs Panthers
PANTHERS NOTES
– The Panthers have misplaced 4 of their final six outings, most not too long ago falling 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild after permitting the game-winning aim within the closing 5 seconds of regulation on Thursday night time. Matthew Tkachuk (1G, 1A) and Aaron Ekblad netted the Panthers targets, and Daniil Tarasov saved 47 photographs within the loss.
– Florida (73 factors) sits in final place within the Atlantic Division, however isn’t formally eradicated from playoff competition but.
– Tarasov will get the nod between the pipes on Saturday. He earned the win with 20 saves within the Dec. 7 matchup and is 1-0-0 with a 2.31 GAA and .917 SV% in two profession video games towards the Islanders. Tarasov is 9-13-2 with a 3.01 GAA and .899 SV% in 25 video games this season.
– Tkachuk has 17 factors (7G, 10A) in his final 14 video games, which incorporates three assists towards the Islanders on Mar. 1. The Panthers alternate captain has 25 factors (10G, 15A) in 24 video games this season.
– Seth Jones was not too long ago activated off the long-term IR after lacking 26 consecutive video games, together with the Mar. 1 loss to the Islanders, with an upper-body damage. Jones scored a aim within the first assembly between Florida and New York on Dec. 7, and has 25 factors (6G, 19A) in 45 video games this marketing campaign.
– Sam Bennett (undisclosed), who scored a pair of targets towards the Isles of their final assembly, won’t go well with up on Saturday afternoon. He has 9 factors (5G, 4A) this month and is tied for second on the crew with 54 factors (25G, 29A) this yr.
– Sam Reinhart (undisclosed, day-to-day) hasn’t performed since Mar. 12. Reinhart leads the Panthers in factors (61), targets (29) and assists (32) this season. He is one aim away from recording his fifth straight 30-goal season.
– Brad Marchand (undisclosed, LTIR) hasn’t suited up since Mar. 6 and won’t play on Saturday. Marchand signed a six-year extension with Florida this previous offseason and is tied for second with 54 factors (27G, 27A) within the 2025-26 season.
– Anton Lundell (upper-body) can even be absent from Saturday’s contest. He final performed and scored a aim towards the Edmonton Oilers on Mar. 19. Lundell has earned 44 factors (18G, 26A) this yr.
– Evan Rodrigues (upper-body) broke his finger towards the Wild on Thursday night time and is predicted to overlook a number of weeks. Rodrigues had factors in every of their final two wins and ranked fifth on the crew with 31 factors (11G, 20A) this season.
– Alexander Barkov (lower-body, LT-IR) has but to seem in a recreation this season after tearing each his ACL and MCL in coaching camp.
– On Mar. 6, the Panthers acquired Vinnie Hinostroza from the Minnesota Wild for future concerns. Hinostroza has 4 factors (2G, 2A) in seven video games because the commerce.
– Florida owns the eighth greatest penalty kill (81.7%) within the NHL, however the nineteenth ranked power-play 19.5%) this season.
