The Florida Panthers will have to wait at least one more day to clinch their spot in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs after losing to the Nashville Predators, 4-1, on Monday.
The Panthers are almost certainly going to make the playoffs, though. Their bigger opportunity missed Monday was a chance to keep pace with the Carolina Hurricanes in the race for the Central Division.
Florida (31-14-5) blew an early one-goal lead to the Predators, giving up three straight after jumping ahead in the first five minutes in Nasvhille. The loss keeps the Panthers from clinching a trip to the traditional Stanley Cup playoffs for just the sixth time in franchise history and puts them even further behind the Hurricanes in the Central.
With six games left in the regular season, Florida now trails Carolina by two points after the Hurricanes lost in overtime Monday. Carolina, however, has still played two fewer games than the Panthers, so its lead in points percentage is even more substantial.
Florida remains one point ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning, although the Lightning has now also played two fewer games than the Panthers.
The loss came despite a thorough 5-on-5 performance for Florida, particularly across the final two periods. After getting outshot 13-6 in the first period, the Panthers outshot the Predators, 22-5, in the second and finished with a 39-27 edge in shots on goal. Predators goaltender Juuse Saros finished with 38 saves.
Florida even had a 1-0 lead in the first five minutes and could only hang onto it for 1:41.
Versatile forward Sam Bennett kept up his scoring binge in the opening period, deflecting in a pass from winger Anthony Duclair to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead with 15:11 left in the first. The goal was Bennett’s third since joining Florida in a trade-deadline deal March 12 and gives him seven points in six games as a Panther. The line has played with since arriving — including Duclair and All-Star wing Jonathan Huberdeau — was the biggest bright spot for the Panthers in an otherwise frustrating loss. The trio generated six shots and eight scoring chances for Florida, and scored the only goal.
Less than two minutes later, the lead was gone. The Panthers took a penalty on the shift after the opening goal and versatile Nashville forward Mikael Granlund put home a rebound to tie the game 1-1 with 13:30 left in the first.
Despite Florida’s massive shots edge in the second, the Predators (27-21-2) took the lead for good on a goal by Nasvhille winger Nick Cousins with 16:25 left in the period. Goaltender Chris Driedger eventually left with a lower-body injury later in the second period and Sergei Bobrovsky, unexpectedly pressed into duty on the front end of a back-to-back, gave up two goals in the third.
