Predators shut out Panthers, extend point streak to 16

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Kevin Lankinen made 33 saves, and the Nashville Predators set a team record by extending their point streak to 16 games with a 3-0 win against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday.

It was the first shutout for Lankinen since he helped the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-0 win against the visiting Panthers on March 25, 2021. 

“Great effort from the whole team,” Lankinen said. “I thought we outbattled them, and that shows what kind of character we have, what kind of a team we are. It is so much fun to be a part of this. I am really proud of the guys.”

Filip Forsberg had two goals and an assist, and Gustav Nyquist had a goal and an assist for the Predators (41-25-4), who have won four straight games and are 14-0-2 during their point streak. Nashville had a 15-game streak in the 2017-18 season.

“We are happy for the group,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “We played, probably, the best team in the League tonight. We played our game, stayed true to us. We’re building for this sort of success as we move forward. … I think we found our identity and are enjoying what we are doing. When you have joy in the work, joy in the grind, you’re probably in a pretty good spot.”

Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves for the Panthers (45-20-4), who have lost three in a row and were shut out for the seventh time this season, including twice during the losing streak (4-0 at the Carolina Hurricanes on March 14). They remained three points behind the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division; the Bruins lost 5-2 to the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Playing its first game in five days, Florida was without center Aleksander Barkov, who is day to day with a lower-body injury, and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who served the first of a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Conor Sheary on Saturday.

“We are not close right now. I have all the faith we can get them back to playing their game, but we’re not close to our game right now,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “Right now, we are a rush team with no speed and that does not relate to the [Panthers] team you have seen in the past. You’re only as good as your last game. I have a lot of faith, but we have to find a way to get it out of them.”

Nyquist put Nashville ahead 1-0 at 17:47 of the first period, sweeping the puck past Bobrovsky from the edge of the crease.

Forsberg made it 2-0 on the power play at 7:32 of the second period when he deflected a point shot from Tyson Barrie.

“We knew this was going to be a great challenge and we answered the bell,” Forsberg said. “We are putting in the work. We came out ready to skate against one of the fastest teams in the League and I thought we outskated them. That is obviously something we want to keep going.”

Nashville extended it to 3-0 at 14:19 of the third period. Nyquist’s shot from a sharp angle hit Forsberg in the skates, and the puck deflected off Florida center Sam Bennett and past Bobrovsky.

“We were waiting on the bench to hear who got it,” Forsberg said with a smile.

The Panthers had not lost three straight games since they went 0-2-2 from Jan. 13-19.

“I think we just need to get back to the grind we had been playing with before,” Florida defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson said. “We need to be a unit of five guys coming out and defending and being on the rush. We’re playing spread out, and it is hard to play like that.”

NOTES: Forsberg’s first goal made him the second player in Predators history with 70 power-play goals, after Shea Weber (80). … Nashville tied the Edmonton Oilers for the longest point streak in the NHL this season. The Oilers won 16 straight games from Dec. 21-Jan. 27. … Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis had one shot on goal in 15:25 of ice time after being recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Thursday. It was his first game since Dec. 14.