Will the Panthers bounce back after the controversial OT loss against Nashville?

What looked like a launch point after that 8-3 win in Nashville before Thanksgiving has instead aged into the turning point of a slide. The Predators rebounded with four wins in five while Florida collected only a single point across four straight defeats.

Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss carried the weight of the entire homestand. The Panthers controlled long stretches yet missed crucial moments, including six empty power plays that stalled every wave of momentum they tried to build.

As a fan, the most frustrating part was seeing Florida play structured hockey only to lose the thread when pressure peaked, a habit that has marked this recent stretch. The home losing streak now sits at five games, the longest since the 2020 collapse that eventually triggered major front office change.

Roberto Luongo watched this one from a suite, a reminder of steadier years while the current group searches for rhythm. The Panthers have been outscored 15-7 in losses to the Flyers, Flames, Maple Leafs, and Predators since that dominant night in Nashville. Their scoring has thinned at the worst times, leaving Sergei Bobrovsky with little margin.

Bobrovsky delivered again Thursday, holding a 1-0 lead deep into the third before the penalty parade drained Florida's legs. Nashville leaned on Ryan O'Reilly and Steven Stamkos to break through, with O'Reilly tying it off a rebound after heavy pressure shifted the ice.

Paul Maurice pointed to the early penalties in the third as the key turn. Florida spent four of the first five minutes shorthanded, which forced top players into long, exhausting runs. The Predators generated most of their chances in bursts, but the Panthers never reset fully after those kills.

Overtime opened with Florida dictating tempo. Then Nashville countered, creating a rush sequence that ended with Forsling crashing into Bobrovsky and Stamkos guiding the puck toward the loose net. It was the kind of chaotic bounce that finds struggling teams.

Now Florida closes the long homestand with a back-to-back against the improved Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, needing wins to stop a slide that has stretched far longer than anyone projected.