On February 25, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee, Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight, 30, celebrated with his team during a game against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators are looking to recover from losing the opening 15 seconds in their recent match against the Colorado Avalanche on Hockey Fight Cancer Night, where they gave up their only 5-on-5 goal and ultimately lost 3-0 to the NHL’s top team. Colorado scored their last two goals with empty nets after Nashville pulled goalie Juuse Saros in the third period.
The Predators face a tough schedule with the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, visiting Nashville on Monday night. Despite outshooting Colorado 35-26, Nashville has failed to score in two consecutive games. A positive note from the loss was the return of team captain Roman Josi, who came back after missing 12 games due to an upper-body injury. Josi contributed four shots and one blocked shot in nearly 20 minutes of play.
With Josi in the lineup, Nashville holds a 3-4-2 record this season, but during his absence, the team managed only 3-7-2. The Panthers also enter Monday’s game coming off a loss, so Nashville is motivated to snap its two-game losing streak.
Game Day Details:
– Teams: Florida Panthers (11-9-1) vs. Nashville Predators (6-11-4)
– Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
– Time: 7:00 PM CST
– TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
– Radio: 102.5 The Game
– Betting Lines (BetMGM): Panthers -1.5 (+155), Over 6 (+100), Moneyline -150; Predators +1.5 (-190), Under 6 (-120), Moneyline +125.
Injury Updates:
– Predators: Cole Smith out with an upper-body injury.
– Panthers: Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov both sidelined due to injuries.
Nashville’s power play has been struggling, going 10-for-65 (15.4%), placing them 26th in the NHL. Coach Andrew Brunette practiced his first and second power-play units at Monday’s morning skate, with the first group including Josi, Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Ryan O’Reilly. The second unit saw Nick Blankenburg, Brady Skjei, Luke Evangelista, Matthew Wood, and Michael Bunting. Nashville ranks 13th in penalty killing, at 82.0% (11-for-61).
Filip Forsberg leads Nashville with eight goals and 15 points, followed by Ryan O’Reilly with six goals and 13 points. Rookie Matthew Wood has also scored six goals, alongside Michael Bunting, Eric Haula, and Luke Evangelista, each with 10 points. Juuse Saros, despite the recent loss to Colorado, holds a 6-8-3 record with a 2.85 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. Backup Justus Annunen is yet to record a win with a 0-4-1 record.
The Florida Panthers, who fell 6-3 to the Edmonton Oilers in a Stanley Cup Final rematch on Saturday, have won four of their last six games and are 5-5-0 against Nashville over the past ten matchups. Florida dominated last season, winning both games against Nashville by a combined 10-3 score. They have been strong visitors at Bridgestone Arena, with an 8-2-0 record in their last ten trips, outscoring the Predators 40-28 and averaging 4.5 goals in those eight wins.
Brad Marchand leads the Panthers with 13 goals and 24 points, followed by Sam Reinhart with 12 goals and 18 points. Sergei Bobrovsky holds a 10-6-0 record with a 2.80 GAA and .887 save percentage. For Monday’s game, Daniil Tarasov is the starter; he has a 1-3-1 record with a 2.34 GAA and .910 save percentage, having replaced Bobrovsky in the Edmonton loss and stopped all 12 shots faced.
Fan Take: This upcoming clash between Nashville and the Florida Panthers is crucial for both teams looking to halt their losing streaks. With key players returning from injury and a showdown against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, this game promises exciting competition and could be a turning point for Nashville’s season momentum.
