Novak scores twice in Predators’ 7-3 victory over Panthers

The Nashville Predators won by 7-3 points in Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers. Center Tommy Novak led the charge for his team, scoring two goals and giving the Predators their lead.

This victory comes as a relief for the Predators, who had lost their previous games against the Arizona Coyotes and the Boston Bruins. It was also a season-high for the Predators, who bounced back from a 2-1 deficit early in the game to score five points straight and take the win.

Alongside Novak, defenseman Roman Josi scored a goal and two assists. Defense Ryan Johansen also gave an assist and a goal to the Predators. Left-wing Yakov Trenin scored the final goal for the Predators, hitting an empty-net goal in the last minutes of the match.

Meanwhile, the Panthers saw a disappointing outcome despite an initially potent offense. Right-wingers Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, and Nick Cousins scored points for the Panthers, though it wasn’t enough to balance the Predators’ vicious score streak.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky allowed the Predators to score four goals from 11 attempts before being pulled off the rink in the second half. He was replaced by goaltender Spencer Knight, who made 12 saves in the remainder of the match.

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Endangered Panthers

Their match against the Predators will count as the Panthers’ third loss in their past five games. Though they won their game against the Washington Capitals last Thursday, the team has experienced its share of ups and downs, especially with their players’ current performance.

“We have to get wins. We have to win way more than the majority of our games to get in. We’re in a position now where every game is pretty much a playoff game for us to get in.”

Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Pathers right-winger

Despite their loss, the team started strong in the beginning. After Novak scored the first point in the game for the Predators, Cousins took the reins and tied the board with a swift wrist shot into the net. Tkachuk later scored a goal with defenseman Brand Montour’s impressive pass, earning a solid 2-1 lead for the Panthers.

However, Bobrovsky’s performance in the late game let the Predators regain their footing quickly. Head coach Paul Maurice pulled the goaltender out, citing that he needed rest from the numerous games in the season.

The Panthers’ current record sits at 28-25-6, needing one point to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Game highlights

Predators’ coach John Hynes remarked on his team’s improved performance in the game, praising the players despite previous losses. Compared to their 5-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday, the game was a promising step forward for the team.

“I thought our response to that was better than it was the other night. I thought all-around in general, it was a pretty strong performance for us,” Hynes said.

Alongside Novak’s early and late-game scores, the rest of the team pulled through with numerous assists and goals. After Tkachuk’s early lead, forward Matt Duchene evened the score with a 2-2 goal. Johansen scored another goal, bringing the Predators up by 3-2 a few minutes later.

Center Colton Sissons scored again, speeding past Bobrovsky to give the Predators an outstanding 4-2 lead. This was when Maurice pulled Bobrovsky off the rink, putting Knight in front of the goal.

Though Knight gave 12 saves in his match, he still couldn’t stop Josi from hitting a score at the glove side of the goal. Reinhart claimed the Panthers’ final point in 6-3 before the game ended with Trenin’s empty-net goal at 7-3 points.