Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
TV/Radio: TNT / HBO Max / SCRIPPS (national), Bally Sports Florida (Panthers), MSG+ (Devils); local radio on 560 WQAM / 640 WGAM (Panthers) and WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM (Devils)
The struggling Florida Panthers, clinging to slim playoff hopes eight points back of the final Eastern wild-card spot, visit a New Jersey Devils team that just snapped a five-game losing streak and is fighting to stay relevant in the Metropolitan Division. Both clubs sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture (Panthers 7th in Atlantic/13th East; Devils 7th in Metro/15th East), making this a critical late-season matchup with playoff implications on the line. This is the rubber match of the season series (tied 1-1).
Injury Report
Florida Panthers:
- Uvis Balinskis (D) – Out (lower body; missed start of current road trip)
- Dmitry Kulikov (D) – Out (upper body; on IR, expected return mid-to-late March)
- Tomas Nosek (LW) – Out / Long-term (lower body; sidelined since October)
- All other key players available, including Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk (played Mar 1 with 3 assists), Sam Bennett (2 goals Mar 1), Sergei Bobrovsky (started last game), and Brad Marchand. Panthers thin on the blue line but rolling with core forwards.
New Jersey Devils:
- Stefan Noesen (RW) – Out for season (knee surgery; LTIR since mid-January)
- Zack MacEwen (RW) – Out for season (ACL surgery)
- Jack Hughes (C) – Available (recently returned from lower-body injury; impactful in recent games)
- Full complement of remaining stars expected, including Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton, and goaltender Jacob Markstrom (strong 25-save effort in last win).
New Jersey has better depth availability, while Florida’s defensive injuries force heavier minutes for the top pairing.
Recent Form (Last 10 Games)
Panthers (3-7-0): Slumping badly (lost 7 of last 9, 2-7-0 since Olympic break).
- L 4-5 @ NY Islanders (Mar 1) – Bennett 2G, Tkachuk 3A, but Bobrovsky allowed 5
- L vs. Buffalo
- W vs. Toronto
- L vs. Tampa Bay
- S/O W vs. Boston
- Multiple losses to weaker teams; averaging 3.0+ goals but allowing 3.8+ against.
Devils (recent 4-6-0 stretch but hot streak breaker):
- W 3-1 @ St. Louis (Feb 28) – Markstrom 25 saves, Meier/G Hamilton/Hischier goals; snapped 5-game skid
- L vs. Pittsburgh
- L vs. Buffalo / NYI / CBJ / OTT
- OT W vs. Nashville
Improved defensively in the win but still scoring-challenged (outscored 16-4 during the skid).
Series History (2025-26 Season)
Tied 1-1:
- Oct. 16, 2026: Devils 3, Panthers 1 (at Prudential Center)
- Nov. 20, 2025: Panthers 1, Devils 0 (in Florida)
Low-scoring trend; Panthers shut out New Jersey in the most recent meeting. All-time: Panthers hold a slight edge in recent seasons, but Devils strong at home vs. Florida.
Key Player Matchups
- Aleksander Barkov (Panthers C, elite two-way) vs. Nico Hischier (Devils C): Barkov’s faceoff dominance and defensive shutdown vs. Hischier’s speed and playmaking in a center battle that could decide puck possession.
- Matthew Tkachuk / Sam Bennett (Panthers top line) vs. Timo Meier / Devils forecheck: Tkachuk’s physicality and playmaking (3A in last game) tested by New Jersey’s heavy forecheck and Hamilton’s mobility on the back end.
- Sergei Bobrovsky (Panthers G, .872 SV% / 3.13 GAA lately) vs. Jacob Markstrom (Devils G, coming off 25-save win): Bobrovsky has been inconsistent; Markstrom gives New Jersey the edge in net if he repeats his recent form.
- Special Teams: Panthers PP 19.5% (mid-pack), PK 82.2% (top-10); Devils PP 20.3%, PK 79.6%. Panthers’ power play could exploit New Jersey’s road PK vulnerabilities.
Betting Trends
- Panthers 3-7-0 SU / poor ATS in last 10; 1-4 SU on current road segment.
- Devils 1-1 SU since snapping 5-game skid; strong home covers when Markstrom starts.
- Under has hit in 6 of last 8 head-to-head meetings (both teams low-scoring lately).
- Panthers 2-7-0 in last 9 overall; Devils 13-13-2 at Prudential but improved defensively at home.
- Total Under 6 in 7 of Panthers’ last 10 road games.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers 5.5
New Jersey Devils – 110
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, March 2, 2026
