Cats & Coffee: Panthers Bring Their Hot Streak Home

Good morning and welcome to "Cats & Coffee," a weekly segment, presented by Koffee Kult, in which we serve up an exciting look at what's on deck for your Florida Panthers. Like our friends at Koffee Kult, this forecast serves up only the best -- so sit back, sip and enjoy our latest brew of news, notes and information.
The Panthers couldn't have asked for a better start to their season.
Heading home this week after picking up seven out of a possible eight points on their inaugural road trip of 2020-21, the Panthers have flown out of the gate on a six-game point streak that has not only been very impressive, but also vaulted them up into the top spot in the Central Division.

"It just feels like this is so nice that we've just got to keep going, got to keep working hard," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said after the team completed a series sweep in Detroit on Sunday night. "When we get back home, we have tough games coming up. We've just got to come to the rink and keep working hard, keep trying to win games and playing the right way."
Playing each of their next six games on home ice, the Panthers will open up their homestand with back-to-back games against the Predators on Thursday and Friday. After that, they'll face the Red Wings - again! - on Sunday afternoon in the first contest of another two-game series.
While it's only a few games into the season, the Panthers have certainly been clicking at both ends of the ice. In addition to having the seventh-ranked offense in the league with 3.50 goals per game on average, they also own the eighth-ranked defense with 2.50 goals allowed per tilt.
While mainstays such as Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad have been doing a lot of heavy lifting as expected, several newcomers have also been making their mark early on. Of the 21 goals the Panthers have scored this season, 13 of them have come from the new guys.
Patric Hornqvist and Carter Verhaeghe are currently tied for the team-lead in goals with five, while Anthony Duclair is tied for the most assists (6). Overall, the new-look top line of Barkov, Verhaeghe and Duclair has combined for a whopping 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists).
"Playing with them, they're great linemates," said Barkov, who has recorded a point in all but one game to start the season. "I really enjoy playing with them, giving them the puck and using their speed and making little plays."
In net, Sergei Bobrovsky is sitting at 3-0-0, while Chris Driedger owns a 2-0-1 record with a .937 save percentage. Over the weekend against Detroit, that dynamic goaltending duo combined to stop 57 of 61 shots for a very sharp .934 save percentage in the series against the Red Wings.
"Every game under your belt is just a little more confidence in your back pocket," Driedger said after earning the win in the Motor City on Sunday. "My approach has just been going out there and trying to enjoy it. It's been a lot of fun. We've been playing great as at team. It's been a lot of fun getting these wins. With winning comes more confidence. It's been a good start for us."
Here's everything you need to know for the week ahead…

THE GAMES

Thursday and Friday: Nashville Predators, 7:00 p.m. ET
After having a few days to rest up, the Panthers will host the Predators (4-4-0) for a back-to-back set at BB&T Center on Thursday and Friday. Nashville enters the week on the heels of a 4-3 loss to the Lightning on Saturday. Before that, the Predators had swept a two-game series against the Blackhawks, with both matchups going beyond regulation. Owning the 27th-ranked offense in the league at 2.38 goals per game, one of Nashville's biggest issues right now looks like an inability to put the puck in the back of the net. Over their last six games, they've scored two-or-fewer goals four times. Filip Forsberg leads the team in goals (4) and is tied with Viktor Arvidsson for the most points (6). In the loss to Tampa Bay, the duo combined for three points (one goal, two assists). Between the pipes, Juuse Saros and Pekka Rinne have each seen a good amount of time in net. Saros owns a .918 save percentage, while Rinne is sitting at .869. For the Panthers, look for Patric Hornqvist to do some damage against his former team. Taken in the seventh round (230th overall) by the Predators in the 2005 NHL Draft - an all-time steal - the 34-year-old veteran has been on fire during his first season with the Panthers. Lighting the lamp in four of six games, he is currently tied for the team lead in both goals (5) and points (7).
TV:FOX Sports Florida
Radio Thursday: 560 WQAM (DADE/BROWARD); 640 WMEN (PALM BEACH); 100.3 WCTH (FLORIDA KEYS); 107.9 FM/1370 AM WZTA (TREASURE COAST) SIRIUSXM STREAMING 932
Radio Friday:560 WQAM (DADE/BROWARD); 850 WFTL (PALM BEACH); 100.3 WCTH (FLORIDA KEYS); 107.9 FM/1370 AM WZTA (TREASURE COAST) SIRIUSXM 220/STREAMING 932
Tickets:
HERE
Sunday: Detroit Red Wings, 3:00 p.m. ET
These guys again? Getting a lot of their eight-game series out of the way early, the Panthers will open a two-game set against the Red Wings (2-6-2) at BB&T Center on Sunday. Stumbling into this week after back-to-back losses against Florida, Detroit has lost each of its last six games to drop all the way to the bottom of the Central Division. Over the weekend against the Panthers, the Red Wings managed to keep things close - they lost both matchups 3-2 - but simply could not get over the hump. Struggling at both ends of the ice, Detroit owns the league's 27th-ranked defense (3.50 goals allowed per game) and 30th-ranked offense (2.00 goals scored per game). Tyler Bertuzzi leads the team in goals (5) while Dylan Larkin has the most points (8). Bertuzzi, however, is currently suffering from an injury, although it isn't thought to be serious. In the blue paint, Thomas Greiss started both games against the Panthers after Jonathan Bernier suffered an injury earlier last week. Making seven appearances this season, Greiss owns a 0-5-2 record with a 3.03 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. For the Panthers, look for the man advantage to play a big role in this rematch. Owning the third-best power play in the league at 36.8 percent, Florida netted a pair of goals with the extra attacker in both games against Detroit over the weekend. Jonathan Huberdeau, Patric Hornqvist and Keith Yandle are locked into a three-way tie for the most power-play points on the team with five, while Hornqvist has the most power-play goals with three. Overall, five different Panthers have at least one power-play goal.
TV: FOX Sports Florida
Radio: 560 WQAM (DADE/BROWARD); 640 WMEN (PALM BEACH); 100.3 WCTH (FLORIDA KEYS); 107.9 FM/1370 AM WZTA (TREASURE COAST) SIRIUSXM 219/STREAMING 932
Tickets:
HERE

MILESTONE WATCH

Jonathan Huberdeau is five assists away from his 300th NHL assist.
Brett Connolly is two goals away from his 100th NHL goal.
Radko Gudas is five assists away from his 100th NHL assist.

FELTMAN'S VALUE PACK

Hot dog, this is a good deal!
New for this season, the Feltman's Value Pack includes upper-level Panthers tickets for either two to four people as well as a Feltman's all-natural hot dog, popcorn, soda and a parking pass. This offer is only valid for home games at BB&T Center, excluding games played on Saturday.

Now, this great deal isn't something you can find on the secondary market. In order to take full advantage of the Feltman's Value Pack, all patrons must make their purchase online through either only
Fevo
or FloridaPanthers.com. Right now, tickets are starting at just $34 per person.
For more information or to make a purchase, click HERE.

50/50 RAFFLE FROM HOME

Whether you're at the arena or on your couch, you can enjoy the 50/50 raffle.
With half the prize pool going to the Florida Panthers Foundation each game, fans can purchase raffle tickets at kiosks at BB&T Center during games or online at FloridaPanthers5050.com. In order to purchase an online ticket, fans must be stationed within a 75-mile radius of the arena.
Want to get a head start? The raffle for Thursday's game against Nashville is already open!
To purchase a 50/50 raffle ticket, check out the tweet below.

STUDENT RUSH NIGHTS

If you're a student in South Florida, this is the deal for you.
New for this season, all Thursday and Saturday home games at BB&T Center are now Student Rush Nights, meaning it's time to spend some time off campus with the Cats. With a valid .edu e-mail address, students can purchase upper-level tickets for just $25 and also get free parking.
All tickets are based on availability.
To learn more, please visit
FloridaPanthers.com/StudentRush
.

PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT

Anton Lundell is shooting the lights out overseas.
On a tear since returning from the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship - where he scored a team-high six goals while leading Finland to a bronze medal - the 19-year-old center recorded his second hat trick of the season to guide HIFK to a dominating 5-2 win over TPS on Friday.

A steal of a pick by the Panthers in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lundell, who was scooped up at 12th overall, has already blown past his previous career-highs in Liiga, ranking tied for first in the league in goals (16) and tied for sixth in points (25) despite missing time for the World Juniors.
Of his 16 goals, a whopping 13 have come at even strength.

CATS CLIP OF THE WEEK

Aleksi Heponiemi played the role of hero in his NHL debut.
Check out the video below to re-live the rookie's unforgettable moment in Detroit.

CATS IN THE COMMUNITY

Tweet from @StanleyCPanther: Make your game day experience one you literally cannot forget because you can keep it forever. Order now while they are available. https://t.co/iKgBU7fvPT #oneterritory pic.twitter.com/9c6XCYD6g4

TERRITORY TALK

On the latest episode of the Territory Talk podcast, Noel Acciari stopped by to talk about getting off to a hot start, the key to killing penalties, life on the road during COVID-19 and much more!
Territory Talk: Florida Panthers Podcast
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COLD COFFEE (IN CASE YOU MISSED IT)

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Miss anything from Sunday's win in Detroit? Catch up with "5 Takeaways" right now. 
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Aleksi Heponiemi earned quite a few milestone pucks during Florida's road trip. 
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Can Anton Lundell be stopped? We're not sure at this point. 
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When it comes to goaltending, the Panthers want to be trendsetters.
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Cats and hot dogs living together! The Panthers have a new official hot dog. 
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Carter Verhaeghe penned a post card from Columbus. 
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Make sure to sign up for the new "93 Society" newsletter. 
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Search for treasure within the Panthers Virtual Vault, presented by Baptist Health.