Predators Tame Panthers

     The Florida Panthers played the second game of a six-game homestand and fell to the Nashville Predators 5-0 on Saturday night at BB&T Center. The Panthers are now winless in four of their last five games. Nick Bjugstad played in his 200th NHL game and Brian Campbell played his 350th consecutive game with the club.
     Nashville(26-21-9) pushed the action and scored at 6:18 of the first period. James Neal carried the puck into the right circle and dropped a pass to Calle Jarnkrok and he snapped a shot by the left shoulder of Roberto Luongo.
     The Predators struck quickly again at 8:24 and made it a two-goal margin. Austin Watson recovered the puck in the right corner and fed Mikka Salimaki. He put in a high wrist shot from the right-circle dot.
     Florida(32-18-9) surrendered a power-play goal to the Preds at 10:24 of the second period and were down 3-0. Ryan Johansen fired a shot from long range which was saved, however Neal poked in the puck from the blue paint for his 21st goal of the season.
     In the third period, Nashville scored on their second attempt on the power play at 7:59. Mike Ribeiro passed the puck from the right wing to Roman Josi at the top of the zone. He pushed it to Shea Weber in the left circle where he blasted a one-time slapshot for a 4-0 lead.
     Jarnkrok added his second tally of the game for the Predators as he scored shorthanded at 13:48. He was able to perform a give-and-go pass in the slot area with Josi.