Panthers Roll By Predators

     The Florida Panthers beat the Nashville Predators 5-4 at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night. The Panthers began a five-game road swing. Aaron Ekblad had a career-high four-point game while Radko Gudas played in his 500th NHL game. 

     Florida(14-4-4) got out to a 2-0 lead during the first period. Carter Verhaeghe poked in the puck from the crease area to make it 1-0 at the 6:29 mark. Aleksander Barkov made it a four-game point streak with an assist on the play. Mason Marchment scored his first NHL goal at 9:01 and expanded his point streak to four games. 

     The Panthers extended it to a three-goal margin 59 seconds into the second period. Jonathan Huberdeau got the tally from the low slot and tied Scott Mellanby for third all-time in franchise history with his 157th goal. 

     Nashville(10-13-0) broke the shutout with 7:37 left in the frame. Mattias Ekholm blasted a slap shot from the left point. 

     It became 4-1 for the Cats with 1:16 to go. Aaron Ekblad put in a snap shot from the left circle while on the power play. He passed Robert Svehlan for career power-play goals by a Panthers defenseman with his 27th. 

     The Predators trailed 4-2 with 26 seconds remaining in the second. Viktor Arvidsson fired a shot from the left wing and Filip Forsberg redirected it in from the left of the crease. 

     In the third period, Florida scored again with the man advantage at the 9:07 mark. Ekblad compiled his second goal of the contest and fourth point of the game as he released a wrist shot from the high slot.  

     The Preds were down 5-3 with 7:20 remaining. Colton Sissons chalked up his fourth goal of the campaign as he tapped the puck in from the top of the crease. 

     Nashville pulled their goalie with over three minutes to go. They scored with 1:13 left when Ryan Johansen flipped a rebound shot into the cage from close range for his first goal this year.