Anaheim @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 17, 2019 ) Florida 2, Anaheim 3

The Florida Panthers are enjoying their new lofty position - four points out of first place in the Atlantic Division - and look to continue the rise when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. The Panthers have won four of the last five games after knocking off Philadelphia 5-2 on Tuesday, which ended a stretch of six consecutive one-goal contests (3-2-1) and improved their home record to 5-2-2.

“We’re a confident team, there’s no question,” Florida right wing Brett Connolly told reporters after scoring for the second straight game Tuesday. “Guys are making plays and very confident in their abilities. To see us getting rewarded, it’s been good. Everybody’s got a pretty good idea of their role now, 20, 21 games in, and everyone is having fun contributing to our wins.” First-year coach Joel Quenneville, who has 901 career wins, told reporters his team has been “ready to play game in and game out” and the Panthers must continue that trend as they try to snap a three-game losing streak against the Ducks. Anaheim has cooled off considerably after starting the season with six wins in eight contests, losing six of its last seven (1-4-2) following a 5-2 setback at Washington on Monday. “I think at the end of the day, we’ve just got to tighten our game,” Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson told reporters after the loss. “We weren’t as sharp as we have been in the past. This is one of the better teams in the (NHL). You better bring your ‘A’ game to come into this building and take a win.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FS Florida

ABOUT THE DUCKS (10-10-2): Anaheim allowed 28 goals in the last seven games and it might have been worse if not for goalie John Gibson (7-10-0, .913 save percentage), who has been victimized for 18 tallies in his last four losses. Left wing Jakob Silfverberg has been kept off the scoresheet in the last two games but still leads the team with nine goals and 17 points with captain Ryan Getzlaf at eight and 15, respectively. Forward Rickard Rakell recorded four of his 15 points in the last three contests while center Adam Henrique has yet to score a goal this month after registering eight in 14 games during October.

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (11-5-5): Captain Aleksander Barkov got off to a slow start scoring this season, but has been red hot the last nine games with seven goals and seven assists. Barkov is one point behind left wing Jonathan Huberdeau (28), who has a goal and three assists in the past two contests, and seven ahead of right wing Evgenii Dadonov (10 goals, 10 assists). Two-time Norris Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky (8-4-4, .887 save percentage) turned aside 65 of 70 shots while defeating the New York Rangers and Philadelphia in his last two starts and is 6-6-1 all time versus Anaheim.

OVERTIME

1. Anaheim LW Nick Ritchie is two points from 100 for his career, but has been kept off the scoresheet in five straight games.

2. Barkov scored his 142nd career goal, tied with Nathan Horton for fifth in franchise history.

3. The Panthers entered Wednesday fourth in the league on the power play and the Ducks were 30th after going 3-for-29 in the last 10 games.

PREDICTION: Panthers 4, Ducks 2