Predators Streak By Panthers

     The Nashville Predators edged the Florida Panthers 2-1 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. The Panthers had their four-game winning streak snapped.

     Florida(19-6-4) got out to 1-0 lead with 1:22 left in the first period. MacKenzie Weegar banked the puck off the neutral-zone boards on a lead pass. Patric Hornqvist made a sailing cross-ice pass from the right circle over a sliding Predators defenseman into the low crease and Jonathan Huberdeau put in a backhand shot past Juuse Saros for his 11th goal this season. Hornqvist extended his point streak to five games while Huberdeau has a point in seven of last eight contests. 

      In the second period, Nashville(13-16-1) tied in up 1-1 at the 7:25 mark. Mattias Ekholm angled a pass from the top of the zone to Alexandre Carrier in the right circle. He passed to the middle and Calle Jarnkrok batted the puck in from the slot area by Sergei Bobrovsky. Jarnkrok scored for the second straight game and Carrier compiled his first NHL assist on the play. . 

     The Predators jumped ahead 2-1 just 1:37 into the third. Mikael Granlund stole the puck from Bobrovsky on the end wall and centered it. Jarnkrok snapped a forehand shot into the open net from the low slot for his second tally of the contest and ninth goal this season. Jarnkrok now has seven points in the last three games and Granlund chalked up his second point in the last 11 contests.