Schmid gets the net as tired Panthers visit Columbus

Nobody hands out style points on the second night of a back-to-back, and the Panthers don't need any. They need two points, a clean night from Akira Schmid and a power play that stops looking like it's still in camp. Get those in Columbus and the Buffalo loss stays a Monday problem.

Florida skipped the morning skate after Monday's 5-3 loss to the Sabres, so this is a tired group. Schmid is expected to start. Jacob Markstrom left Buffalo after one period, two goals on 11 shots, with what Paul Maurice called tightness.

"There's no injury there," Maurice said. "Just standard stuff."

The club still recalled Cooper Black from Charlotte, his first NHL call-up, and he's the expected backup.

The lineup card:

These are expected lines, not confirmed ones. With no skate, there was nothing to read them from.

• Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

• Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sandis Vilmanis

• Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Sam Lafferty

• Bokondji Imama – Lars Eller – Garnet Hathaway

• Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

• Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

• Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas

• Goalies: Schmid (expected), Black

• Scratch: Uvis Balinskis

• Out: Aleksander Barkov (lower body, 6-8 weeks), Brad Marchand (lower body, about six weeks), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body, injured reserve)

Monday's ice time tells you how Maurice felt about Buffalo. Forsling jumped 5.9 minutes to 24.2, per NHL data, while Bennett dropped 5.3 minutes to 15.6. When a coach leans that hard on his best defender, he's trying to stop a bleed.

Columbus

The Blue Jackets are 2-2 and haven't stacked two good nights yet. They're coming off a 5-3 loss to St. Louis. Cam Talbot starts for the second time in three games after winning his only start. Rick Bowness wanted him right back in the crease.

Conor Garland is a game-time decision with an illness. If he sits, Luca Del Bel Belluz makes his season debut between Valeri Nichushkin and Sean Monahan. Dante Fabbro, Ivan Provorov and Isac Lundestrom are out.

Columbus is winning 58.6% of its draws, which matters against a team playing without its captain in the circle. Zach Werenski is averaging 29.6 minutes a night by our count, and Charlie Coyle has four assists in four games.

Head-to-head

First meeting of the season, so there's no grudge to settle yet. Give it a few periods with Gudas on the ice.

The one matchup:

The Tkachuk line against Werenski. Matthew has a point in five straight games by our count, and Brady and Bennett bring the forecheck to pin a defenseman who plays half the night. Make Werenski defend for 40 seconds at a time and his minutes turn into a tax on Columbus instead of a weapon.

Pabs' read:

The worry is special teams. Through six games the power play is at 9.4% and the penalty kill at 74.1% by our count, and the Panthers lead the league with 34 penalties. That's not a goalie problem. Schmid can't kill penalties by himself.

Stay out of the box and this is a winnable night against a team still looking for its game. My call: Panthers 4-3, and Matthew makes it six straight.

Florida is 0-5 against the puck line on closing lines by our count, so maybe don't take my word to the window. Columbus is -135 and Florida +114 at DraftKings, total 5.5. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

How to watch

Puck drop is 6:15 PM ET at Nationwide Arena. Scripps Sports has it in the Panthers' market, and the Blue Jackets' network carries it in Columbus.