PANTHERS NOTES
The two-time, reigning Stanley Cup champions find themselves in an unfamiliar position to start the year, as Florida’s 28 points are the second fewest in the Eastern Conference. Count the Cats out at your own peril – as Florida is just five points back of a playoff spot as the East standings remain incredibly tight.
Daniil Tarasov is expected to start in goal for the Panthers, as Sergei Bobrovsky played on Saturday against Columbus. Tarasov is 2-4-1 this season with a 2.67 GAA and a .907 SV% in his first season with the Panthers. Tarasov has one previous appearance against the Islanders during his days with the Blue Jackets, allowing two goals on 15 shots in a game he left early with an injury.
Marchand leads the Panthers in goals (16), assists (15) and points (31) in his first full season with the team. The 37-year-old, who was acquired by the Cats at last year’s trade deadline, is playing over a point-per-game pace for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
The Panthers will be without captain Aleksander Barkov, who tore his ACL and MCL during the team’s training camp. It’s a big loss for the Panthers, as Barkov is one of the league’s top, two-way players and has recorded 375 points (131G, 244A) in 325 over the past five seasons. Florida is also without Matthew Tkachuk, who is still recovering from an offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia.
