Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette reacted to the hit captain Roman Josi took from Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett, complaining to the NHL officials.

Florida wasted no time opening the scoring. On the power play, a severe defensive breakdown by the Predators left Sam Reinhart and Bennett alone in front of the Predators’ Juuse Saros (21 saves); Reinhart dropped the puck for Bennett to easily bury 1:23 into the contest.

Forward Steven Stamkos, who signed a four-year deal with Nashville in the offseason, is currently in the longest point-less streak of his career — he has gone nine games without a point for the first time in his 17-year career.

Aleksander Barkov had two assists and Spencer Knight made 18 saves for the Panthers (35-21-3), who have won three of their past four. Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk missed his second consecutive game because of a lower-body injury.

Sam Bennett excelled with a 'Gordie Howe hat trick' in the Florida Panthers' 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Bennett's contributions included a

Justin Sourdif scored his first NHL goal and the Florida Panthers beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Tuesday night. Sam Bennett had a goal, assist and fight for a Gordie Howe hat trick, and Gustav Forsling and Mackie Samoskevich also scored to help the Panthers win for the third time in four games.

Michael McCarron scored the lone Nashville goal as the Predators fell to the Florida Panthers by a 4-1 final on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result sees the Preds drop their second straight game to finish the season series with the Panthers.

The Nashville Predators have recalled defenseman Marc Del Gaizo from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals ahead of Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets. Additionally, the team has reassigned defenseman Jake Livingstone – who was recalled last weekend but did not appear in any games – to Milwaukee.

Nashville has lost eight of its last 10 games and scored more than two goals only twice in that span. The club is tied for 31st in the NHL with 2.56 goals per game despite adding 40-goal scorers Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in free agency.