SUNRISE, Fla. — Home sweet home, as they say.

The Florida Panthers (8-7-1) return to Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET to open a five-game homestand against the Washington Capitals (8-7-1).

“They’re a really, really good team,” head coach Paul Maurice said of the Capitals. “They’re a contending team. I don’t think the record matters much – they’re solid."

The Panthers finished their 2-2-0 West Coast road trip on a winning note, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Monday.

Maurice met with reporters at morning skate, confirming that the team will start Daniil Tarasov in net after Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves in Monday’s win.

Thursday will be Tarasov’s fifth start of the 2025-26 season, posting a 0-3-1 record with a .891 save percentage.

The Panthers have been solid at home to start the season, bringing a 5-1-1 record into Thursday’s contest.

“It’s fun playing in front of our fans,” forward Carter Verhaeghe said.

Panthers forward Brad Marchand has been scalding hot – scoring at least one goal in five consecutive games.

Marchand, 37, leads the team in goals (11) and points (18) and is two points shy of 1,000 for his career.

Thursday’s game is the first of three meetings between Florida and Washington this season.

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