Sun Mar 30 16:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Panthers Aim to Reclaim Top Spot Against Canadiens in Home-and-Home Series
**Sunrise, FL** – The Florida Panthers (44-25-3), looking to wrest back the top spot in the Atlantic Division, host the Montreal Canadiens (33-30-9) this afternoon at Amerant Bank Arena. This marks the first game of a home-and-home series between the divisional rivals.
The Panthers return home after a 2-4 road trip, having recently secured two crucial victories. They defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout (4-3) and edged out the Utah Hockey Club 2-1 in overtime Friday night. Sam Bennett led the offense, scoring both goals against Utah, including the game-winner assisted by newcomer Brad Marchand. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky performed admirably, stopping 13 of 14 shots.
Despite a current five-game losing streak (0-3-2), the Canadiens remain in contention for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Their 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday knocked them out of the second wild card spot, now held by the New York Rangers. Trailing the Rangers by only two points with two games in hand, the Canadiens are eager for a victory against the Panthers – a team they’ve already beaten twice this season – to boost their playoff hopes. The game promises a high-stakes battle between two teams fighting for crucial playoff positioning.
First Piper 