The Florida Panthers are set to face off against the Calgary Flames in a Friday NHL match at the Amerant Bank Arena, starting at 4 p.m. ET. This matchup is significant as both teams are currently struggling in their respective conferences; the Panthers hold the 14th spot in the Eastern Conference with 25 points, while the Flames are at the bottom of the Western Conference with only 19 points.
Fans can catch the game live on ESPN+, and those looking to attend in person can find tickets available on StubHub.
In terms of player availability, the Panthers are dealing with several injuries including key players like Aleksander Barkov Jr. and Matthew Tkachuk, both of whom are out due to knee and groin injuries, respectively. Other players sidelined include Dmitry Kulikov, Cole Schwindt, Eetu Luostarinen, Jonah Gadjovich, and Tomas Nosek. The Flames also face injury challenges with Zayne Parekh, Martin Pospisil, and Samuel Honzek all out.
Statistically, the Panthers have some notable performances, with Brad Marchand leading the team with 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 22 games. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has a goals-against average of 2.9 and 350 saves but ranks 50th in the league with an .882 save percentage. On the other hand, Flames forward Nazem Kadri has contributed significantly with four goals and 14 assists this season, bringing his total points to 18. Calgary’s goalie, Dustin Wolf, has made 460 saves but has also struggled with a goals-against average of 3.2 and ranks 41st in save percentage at .890.
As both teams battle through injuries and seek to improve their standings, the competition promises to be intense and could potentially turn the tide for one of them in the upcoming games.