Carter Verhaeghe's goal, assist lead Panthers over Predators 4-1
Florida Panthers teammates Carter Verhaeghe (23), Sam Bennett (9), Niko Mikkola (77) and Matthew Tkachuk (19) congratulate defenseman Brandon Montour (62) after his empty net goal against the Nashville Predators during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Panthers won 4-1. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Carter Verhaeghe scored a goal and added an assist to give the Florida Panthers a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Monday night.
Sam Reinhart scored and Brandon Montour and Matthew Tkachuk added empty-net goals for Florida, which snapped a four-game losing streak. Anthony Stolarz made 27 saves. Sam Bennett added three assists.
“We’ve lost a few in a row, so we needed a win,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Some really good energy on the bench, real good focus. We made a few mistakes but made up for the mistakes with really good effort.”
Jeremy Lauzon scored and Juuse Saros made 34 saves for the Predators, who have lost three of four.
“I think a lot of guys probably lack a little confidence right now,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “We generated some tonight, enough to put us into at least an overtime game. We’re not finishing. It’s kind of been a little bit of the story here the last week.”
Reinhart scored the game’s first goal with 8:41 remaining in the second period.
Just four seconds after Nashville’s Yakov Trenin was sent to the penalty box for an offensive zone tripping penalty, Reinhart beat Saros on Florida’s 22nd shot on goal of the game.
Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (3) scores a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
The goal was Reinhart’s career-high 34th of the season. Reinhart extended his point streak to 10 games, one shy of his career high. Over his current streak, Reinhart has 11 goals and three assists.
Bennett’s three assists tied a career high.
“Our team did a great job of battling right to the end,” Bennett said. “That was a big, gutsy effort from our group.”
Lauzon drew Nashville even 57 seconds later with a wrist shot from the high slot through traffic that slipped by Stolarz.
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) celebrates a goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
“I’m proud of the effort the guys made tonight,” Lauzon said. “Obviously we didn’t have a great start. I think it’s been a problem for us lately, but we came back in the second and played some good hockey. We were trailing by one goal at the end and could have had a couple bounce in our favor, but that’s hockey.”
Colton Sissons assisted on Lauzon’s goal, extending his assist streak to three games.
Verhaeghe, skating in his 300th career game, scored at 1:11 of the third with a wrist shot from the high slot that beat Saros on the stick side.
Stolarz’s best stop came at 7:26 of the third when he denied an unchecked Gustav Nyquist all alone in the low slot with the Predators on a power play.
“He made some awesome saves,” Verhaeghe said. “There was a couple times where we left the guy alone in front and he came up huge.”
UP NEXT
Panthers: Host Arizona on Wednesday.
Predators: Visit Minnesota on Thursday.
