Panthers vs. Capitals Preview: Looking to win fifth straight

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the Florida Panthers are set to take on the Washington Capitals tonight.

Heading into the contest, the Panthers have won four in a row and are simply on fire. It certainly is encouraging to see, as they had lost four in a row previously. To get that fifth straight win, however, it certainly shouldn’t be viewed as an easy task. The Capitals have a 12-3-5 record and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Thus, this is a contest between two of the league’s finest.

This is the second time this season that the Panthers are facing off against the Capitals. The first game was an immensely entertaining one, as Florida would defeat the Caps in overtime by a 5-4 final score. With the Capitals losing this way last time, they will surely come out hot.

This is a key game for the Panthers, too. At this time, they have a 14-2-3 record and are just two points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thankfully, though, the Panthers have two games in hand over the Leafs, so that provides a little more first place security. However, a loss in regulation would erase a very good chunk of that.

Alas, the Panthers have the tools to stay hot. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see if they end up being successful in their efforts.

Some fun predictions for the Panthers

• Ryan Lomberg will have himself a big game to show his gratitude to the Panthers for giving him his brand new, two-year, $1.6 million contract. This contract is a one-way deal, too, so he definitely appears to be a mainstay in their bottom-six moving forward. Let’s see if the 27-year-old scores his second goal of the season.
• After a hot start to the regular season, Gustav Forsling only has one assist in his last six games. Although points aren’t everything, it’s hard to imagine this offensive cold streak continues much longer. At a minimum, he will record his 11th assist of the year.
• Speaking of cold streaks, Sam Reinhart is one a big one. The 26-year-old forward hasn’t gotten on the scoresheet in five straight games. With his skill level, that has to change tonight, right?