Panthers Cut Off Predators

     The Florida Panthers continued their season-high, six-game homestand on Friday night and held off the Nashville Predators 2-1 at BB&T Center. The Panthers have accumulated at least one point in their first eight games of the 2020-21 regular season. 

     Nashville(5-6-0) drew first blood at the 4:04 mark of the first period. Ryan Ellis forwarded a pass to Roman Josi in the neutral zone. He carried the puck into the Panthers zone and angled a pass to his right. Colton Sissons raced through the slot and softly put a wrist shot by Chris Driedger for his second goal this year. Josi and Ellis both extended their point streak to four games each. 

     Florida(6-0-2) evened it up 1-1 at 5:58 of the second period. Owen Tippett moved the puck out from the right corner to Carter Verhaeghe in the right circle. He sent a diagonal pass to Aleksander Barkov to the left of the crease and he lifted a snap shot past Pekka Rinne. Barkov scored his third goal in the last four contests. It was the first NHL assist for Tippett. 

     It became 2-1 for the Panthers with 4:29 remaining in the second period. MacKenzie Weegar put forward a pass to Verhaeghe in the right circle. He sent a cross-ice pass to Barkov and he returned it to him for an open-net goal. Barkov got his seventh point in the last four games.