Saros, Predators end Panthers winning streak at four

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Juuse Saros made 40 saves in his return, and Calle Jarnkrok scored two goals for the Nashville Predators in a 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center on Thursday.

Saros missed seven games with an upper-body injury.
"It's nice to be back," Saros said. "Felt good out there. It was a great, gutsy game from us. Really good effort from everybody. Good character win."
The Predators (13-16-1) have won two games in a row.
Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Panthers (19-6-4), whose season-high four-game winning streak ended. Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves.
"The sharpness was a little bit dull," Florida coach Joel Quenneville said. "There were some good things, but not enough. They worked hard and played better than we saw earlier this year."
The teams will play again here Saturday.

Jarnkrok put Nashville ahead 2-1 at 1:17 of the third period. Bobrovsky turned over the puck to Mikael Granlund behind the net, and Granlund passed in front to Jarnkrok before Bobrovsky could get back in the crease.
Saros made a right-pad save against Anthony Duclair on a breakaway at 2:39 to keep the Predators in front.
"It's good to see Juuse come back," Nashville coach John Hynes said. "His process to get back was really good. I know he was excited to play. He was really ready. He was very good in practice yesterday, he was sharp, and it was nice to see him come in, and I think it was a huge boost to the team that he came in and played the way that he played. You could feel it on the bench, and he came up with some big saves for us and that's what you need."
Huberdeau gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 18:38 of the first period after taking a saucer pass from Patric Hornqvist on a 2-on-1.
"I think we gave up a little too many chances tonight," Huberdeau said. "We were lucky that it was a 2-1 game. Bob made some really good saves and kept us in the game. I think Saros was pretty good on the other side, too."

Jarnkrok tied it 1-1 at 7:25 of the second period when he kicked up a centering pass in the slot and batted the puck out of the air.
"Calle's always been a really detailed player and really coming into this year we're thinking that there was a chance for him to have more of an offensive year, get more offensive production," Hynes said. "It's nice to see him be able to get rewarded for the opportunities he's getting, and I would say that when he's getting his opportunities, he is bearing down."
After Jarnkrok had a goal and three assists in a 4-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, he has a point on six straight Predators goals, tying David Legwand (2011-12) and Yanic Perreault (2005-06) for the longest run in Nashville history.
"We got two wins in a row now, and it feels good to be winning hockey games," Jarnkrok said. "That's what I'm thinking right now."
NOTES: The Panthers were held to fewer than two goals for the first time in 11 games. … Defenseman Alexandre Carrier played a Predators-high 23:16 after being recalled from the taxi squad earlier in the day. He had an assist on the first goal, two hits and two blocked shots.