Panthers hunt playoff push as Blues struggle to break losing streak
The Florida Panthers will face the struggling St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Both teams enter the match with key players missing due to injury, while the Panthers chase a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
This will be the second and final meeting of the season between the two sides. The Blues won the first game 6-2 on December 20 at Amerant Bank Arena. Since then, their form has worsened, with a 2-7-1 record in their last 10 games and five straight losses.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have gone 6-3-0 in their last nine matches. They currently sit six points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot, with two games in hand. Florida's recent success has been built on depth scoring, with 15 different skaters finding the net since January 1.
In goal, Daniil Tarsov will start for the Panthers. He has been in strong form, posting a 4-0-0 record, a .944 save percentage, and a 1.30 goals-against average in his last four appearances. The Blues are expected to counter with Joel Hofer, who holds an 11-10-3 record this season, along with a .902 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average.
Florida will be without forward Anton Lundell, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Lundell leads the team in faceoff percentage (52.5%) and has contributed 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) this season. Meanwhile, Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues is set to play his 600th NHL game.
The Blues will miss leading scorer Robert Thomas and several other players due to injury. Defenseman Justin Faulk remains a key figure, ranking third on the team in points (25) and among the top-scoring defensemen in goals (11).
The Panthers aim to close the gap on a playoff position with a win in St. Louis. The Blues, however, will look to snap their losing streak despite missing key players. Both teams will rely on strong goaltending and defensive efforts to secure the result.
