The Nashville Predators struggled to find their footing Thursday night, falling 6-2 to the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. The loss drops Nashville to 4-9-1 on the season, as they continue to search for consistency under new head coach Andrew Brunette.
Florida jumped out to an early lead with Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk scoring in the game’s first five minutes. The Panthers continued their offensive onslaught in the second period, with Evan Rodrigues and Carter Verhaeghe finding the net to make it 4-0.
Steven Stamkos gave the Predators hope, scoring on the power play midway through the second period. However, Verhaeghe’s second goal of the night just before the intermission effectively put the game out of reach at 5-1.
Each team added another goal in the third period, with Juuso Pärssinen scoring for Nashville at 11:51. The Predators’ offense managed just 18 shots on goal throughout the night, while goaltender Scott Wedgewood faced 34 shots, stopping 28 in the loss.
Discipline was an issue for both teams, with the game featuring 15 penalties in the third period alone. The Predators’ penalty kill was tested frequently, allowing two power-play goals on the night.
Roman Josi led the Predators in ice time with 21:29, while Brady Skjei struggled with a -3 plus/minus rating. The loss marks another difficult road result for Nashville, who will need to regroup quickly as they continue their road trip.
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