Panthers defeat Predators, end 4-game losing streak

NASHVILLE -- The Florida Panthers ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Monday.

Sam Reinhart scored again, Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist, and Sam Bennett had three assists for the Panthers (28-14-4), who were 0-2-2 during their skid. Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves.

“This was a big game for us,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “The dads are here, but we’ve also lost a few in a row. We needed a win. Some really good energy on the bench, real good focus. We made a few mistakes, but then made up for the mistakes with really good effort. And then when we couldn’t, [Stolarz] made four or five really good saves tonight.”

Juuse Saros made 34 saves for the Predators (25-21-1), who have lost two in a row and three of four.

“Just a tough loss against a good squad,” Nashville forward Colton Sissons said. “Obviously, we got our lunch handed to us in the first a little bit. They were dictating the pace of the game, but we certainly played a lot better in the last two frames and were right there. Obviously, the scoreboard looks a little bit lopsided in the end with a few empty netters, but we were right there. We had a chance to get points or win the game late.”

Reinhart gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 11:18 of the second period with a power-play goal. He got the puck during a tie-up on a face-off, curled out from his backhand to his forehand, and lifted a shot past Saros' glove.

Reinhart has 14 points (11 goals, three assists) during a 10-game point streak and 16 goals in his past 14 games.

Jeremy Lauzon tied it 1-1 at 12:16 with a wrist shot from the point that deflected in off Panthers forward Anton Lundell.

“We were just on the road for three games, and coming in for just one is sometimes kind of a trap game,” Lauzon said. “But I think guys showed up and we worked hard. Obviously, they’re a really great team. Every chance they had, they kind of put it in the net. But I think overall we were pretty solid. Every single time we have a chance we just need to bear down a little bit more. It’s important points here coming down to the last stretch of the season, so we need to start winning here.”

Verhaeghe put the Panthers back in front 2-1 at 1:11 of the third period with a wrist shot blocker side from the high slot on a rush.

“We had a good first period and came ready to play, and I think we kind of carried that throughout,” Verhaeghe said. “We got a big power-play goal. We knew it was going to be a tough one. They’re a good team. Coming in here on the road we wanted it to be kind of a grindy win, and that’s kind of what we got.”

Stolarz preserved the lead by making a diving glove save on Gustav Nyquist during a Predators power play at 7:23.

“He was huge,” Bennett said. “He made some unbelievable saves, so that gave us life and kept us in the game. That’s all you can ask from your goalie. It was fun to watch him flashing some leather tonight.”

Brandon Montour scored an empty-net goal to make it 3-1 at 18:21, and Matthew Tkachuk added another empty-net goal at 19:40 for the 4-1 final.

“We’re missing two big pieces with [Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling] out, so we knew it was going to be a hard, grind game,” Bennett said. “Guys were stepping up and playing bigger roles and bigger minutes. That’s all you can ask from your guys.”

NOTES: Barkov missed his third straight game because of a lower-body injury, and Forsling did not play for personal reasons. ... Reinhart has scored 34 goals this season, an NHL career high. ... Bennett has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past four games. ... Predators forwards Ryan O'Reilly and Filip Forsberg were each minus-3.