Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT)
TV/Streaming: Prime Video, KCOP-13 (Ducks local), Scripps Sports (Panthers local)
The Panthers continue their California road trip without captain Aleksander Barkov, while the Ducks open their home schedule after a comeback-win effort in Vegas. Florida is 1-0-1 after an OT win at Carolina and an OT loss at San Jose. Anaheim is 1-0-0 following a 4-3 road victory over the Golden Knights.
Projected Lineups
Florida Panthers (adjusted for Barkov’s absence):
Brady Tkachuk – Lars Eller – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis
Bokondji Imama – Sam Lafferty – Garnet Hathaway Gustav Forsling (game-time decision) – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas G: Jacob Markstrom (projected; Akira Schmid backup)
Anaheim Ducks:
A.J. Greer – Leo Carlsson – Cutter Gauthier
Beckett Sennecke – Mikael Granlund – Alex Killorn
Nikita Nesterenko – Ryan Poehling – Frank Vatrano
Jeff Malott – Tim Washe – Judd Caulfield Jackson LaCombe – Tristan Luneau
Pavel Mintyukov – Travis Mitchell
Tyson Hinds – Noah Warren G: Lukas Dostal (projected; Ville Husso backup)
Injury Reports
Panthers:
Aleksander Barkov (C) – Lower body/knee (LTIR; minimum 10 games/24 days, earliest return ~Oct. 27).
Brad Marchand (LW) – Lower body (IR; expected mid-to-late October).
Jonah Gadjovich (LW) – Upper body (IR-LT).
MacKenzie Entwistle (RW) – Undisclosed (IR-NR).
Gustav Forsling (D) – Upper body (day-to-day/game-time decision).
Ducks:
Troy Terry (RW) – Hip (LTIR; expected mid-to-late November).
Drew Helleson (D) – Lower body (IR; expected around Oct. 7).
Ian Moore (D) – Lower body (IR; expected mid-October).
Barkov’s absence is the biggest storyline for Florida; Lars Eller has shifted up the lineup. Anaheim is without its top-six scorer Terry but otherwise relatively intact up front.
Recent Team Forms
Panthers: OT win 1-0 at Carolina (Forsling OT goal; Markstrom strong), followed by 4-3 OT loss at San Jose (Eetu Luostarinen scored twice; Barkov injured mid-game). Special teams mixed (low PP conversion early, strong PK). They are physical (high hit totals) but dealing with significant forward attrition.
Ducks: Built a 4-0 lead then held on for a 4-3 win at Vegas. Leo Carlsson (goal + assist) led the way; Lukas Dostal made 27 saves. Young core (Carlsson, Gauthier, Sennecke) produced immediately. They open the home slate with momentum.
Series History
Florida has historically dominated the matchup, holding a strong recent edge (roughly 9-1-2 in the last 11 meetings per team notes). Recent results have been more mixed: Anaheim won the last two in 2025-26 (7-3 at home on Nov. 4, 2025, and a shootout win in Florida). Overall all-time is competitive but favors the Panthers. Florida has often performed well on the road in Anaheim in prior years.
Key Player Matchups
Brady Tkachuk / Sam Reinhart / Lars Eller vs. Ducks’ top defensive pair (LaCombe-Luneau) and Dostal — Florida’s reconfigured top line must generate offense without Barkov’s two-way presence. Tkachuk’s net-front presence and Reinhart’s finishing face a mobile Anaheim blue line.
Leo Carlsson / Cutter Gauthier vs. Ekblad-Forsling (if healthy) — Anaheim’s young stars will test Florida’s top pair. Carlsson’s speed and playmaking are central to the Ducks’ transition game.
Matthew Tkachuk / Sam Bennett vs. middle-six Ducks — The Tkachuk-Bennett duo brings physicality and secondary scoring; Anaheim must contain their forecheck.
Goaltending: Jacob Markstrom vs. Lukas Dostal — Markstrom was excellent in the opener; Dostal was solid in the Vegas win. Both are capable, but Markstrom carries more proven pedigree.
Special teams & physical play — Florida ranks high in hits early; Anaheim’s transition speed could create odd-man rushes if the Panthers take penalties.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers – 130
Anaheim Ducks 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, October 3, 2026
