AJ Greer scored twice and added an assist in the Florida Panthers’ convincing 8-3 win over the host Nashville Predators on Monday night.
Sam Reinhart and Carter Vergaeghe each had a goal and two assists, Evan Rodrigues contributed a goal and an assist while Jesper Boqvist, Sam Bennett and defenseman Gustav Forsling also scored for the Panthers, who have won three of their last four games. Defender Uvis Balinskis had two assists and Daniil Tarasov made 36 saves.
Filip Forsberg, Fedor Svechkov and defenseman Nick Blankenburg scored the goals for the Predators, who lost for the eighth time in nine games (1-6-2). Juuse Saros stopped 11 shots before being replaced by Justus Annunen, who made seven saves.
Blankenburg’s power-play goal pulled Nashville within 5-3, 2:11 into the third period.
But Greer scored his second goal at 4:52 of the third, Reinhart scored at 8:33, extending his point streak to seven games (six goals, seven assists for 13 points) and Verhaeghe scored with 7:11 remaining.
Boqvist and Bennett scored 4:15 apart to break a 2-2 tie and give Florida a 4-2 lead after the first period.
Boqvist connected on a partial breakaway on the left wing with 8:29 left in the first period to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
It came 59 seconds after Svechkov equalized for Nashville by converting a rebound for his first goal of the season.
Florida took a 4-2 lead when Svechkov’s clearing attempt in front of his own goal bounced off Bennett and into the net with 4:14 left in the first period.
Forsling made it 5-2, 1:24 in the second period when his seemingly harmless wrist shot from the left point deflected toward Predators defenseman Nick Perbix. It was Forsling’s first goal and sent Saros to the showers in favor of Annunen.
Greer scored just 11 seconds into the game on a one-timer from the right circle and Rodrigues made it 2-0 at 5:42 when he corralled a rebound.
Forsberg got Nashville on the board at 6:52 when he lofted a pass from the left corner to Luke Evangelista.
Florida has scored eight goals twice in its last four outings.
–Field level media
