NHL Game Preview: Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets with Line Combinations 3/20/2025

Florida Panthers (41-24-3, 85 Pts) at Columbus Blue Jackets (31-28-8, 70 Pts)

Venue: Nationwide Arena
Date: Thursday, March 20
Time: 7:00 pm EST
TV: ESPN+/SCRIPPS/FDSNOH
Radio:
Columbus: Radio 97.1 FM Ohio
Florida: AM 560 Sports Florida

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:

Florida: -1.5 ML -192
Columbus: +1.5 ML +160
O/U 5.5

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Florida Panthers News & Notes:

The Panthers are on a two-game losing streak after losing 4-2 on Sunday to the New York Islanders. They are 7-3-0 in their last ten games and are averaging 2.8 goals per game while allowing 1.7 goals per game. They are tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the lead in the Atlantic Division entering tonight’s game.

Columbus Blue Jackets News & Notes:

The Blue Jackets are on a four game losing streak after dropping Monday’s game to the New Jersey Devils 2-1. They are 2-6-0 in March and are averaging 2.3 goals per game while allowing 3.8 goals per game. Prior to Monday they had been shutout in back to back games.

Florida Panthers Lineup:

Rodrigues-Barkov-Reinhart
Verhaeghe-Bennett-Samoskevich
Luostarinen-Lundell-J. Boqvist
Greer-Sturm-Gadjovich

Forsling-Jones
Mikkola-Scj,odt
Balinskis-Bjornfot

Bobrovsky
Vanecek

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Florida Hockey – Inside The Rink

Columbus Blue Jackets Lineup

Chinakov-Voronkov-Marchenko
Jenner-Fantilli-K. Johnson Labanc
Aston-Reese-Danforth-Olivier
van Riemsdyk-Kuraly-Kunin

Werenski-Fabbro
Mateychuk-Provorov
Johnson-Severson

Merzlikins
Tarasov

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Columbus Hockey – Inside The Rink

Players To Watch:

Florida Panthers:

Sam Reinhart this season has 72 points on 33 goals and 39 assists. He’s faced the Blue Jackets 26 times in his career recording 34 points on 13 goals and 21 assists; he has a goal and two assists in each game against Columbus this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets:

James van Riemsdyk this season has 30 points on 14 goals and 16 assists. He’s faced the Panthers 42 times in his career recording 25 points on 13 goals and 12 assists; he scored a goal in one of the two meetings this season.

Injury Report:

Florida Panthers:

LW Matthew Tkachuk – IR
D Aaron Ekblad – Out (Suspension)
LW Brad Marchand – Out
D Dmitry Kulikov – Out

Columbus Blue Jackets:

C Owen Sillinger – IR
D Erik Gudbranson – IR
C Cole Sillinger – IR
RW Kevin LaBanc – IR
C Sean Monahan – IR
D Jake Christiansen – DTD

Next Game:  

Florida: March 22 at Washington Capitals
Columbus: March 21 at Pittsburgh Penguins

ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing – Inside The Rink

Join Conrad and Chris as the discuss Gavin McKenna making the jump to the NCAA, Pittsburgh and San Jose making additions, and the NHL season to begin on October 7, 2025.

1. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing 32:56
2. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos 24:53
3. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening 37:46
4. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again 56:17
5. ITR 43: It's Winning Time 39:10