Panthers have a short break before looking to reverse a three-game skid at home

The last time the Florida Panthers had a three-game losing streak — which was Dec. 12-16 — they went on a 12-day holiday break and then won their next four contests.

Now, after again losing three in a row, the Panthers are getting four consecutive days without a game. Other than that holiday and the All-Star Game break, it’s tied for the longest interlude of Florida’s season so far.

It remains to be seen what the Panthers will do when they are back on the ice on Thursday night against the visiting Ottawa Senators. But given how well the Atlantic Division-leading Panthers have played this season, it would seem unwise to bet against this club.

“It’s a little bit frustrating,” Panthers rookie forward Anton Lundell said of their current slump, “but it’s something we get energy from.

“We have a very competitive team. We just want to win. “I’m sure we’re going to come into our next game with a clear mind.”

The Panthers still lead the NHL in home wins (23-6-0), and they will be facing an Ottawa team that is 9-11-3 on the road.

Ottawa, which lost at home 2-1 to Montreal on Saturday, will visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday before making it down to South Florida.

Still, though, the Panthers will likely spend much of the next four days focused on self-improvement. The Panthers, for example, have allowed 16 goals during this three-game skid, and tightening up on defense will surely be at the top of interim coach Andrew Brunette’s to-do list.

Brunette indicated after Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers that the issue is a brief lack of focus in key moments.

“We have to focus for 60 minutes,” Brunette said, “not 58 minutes. We need to realize how hard it is to win in this league.”

Offensively, the Panthers continue to be elite, leading the NHL in goals scored. Winger Jonathan Huberdeau finished the week tied with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the most points in the league at 75.

Huberdeau has at least one assist in 10 straight games, a franchise record. He has 17 points during that span.

Aleksander Barkov, who tied his career high with 10 shots on goal on Saturday, is also hot. Despite missing 13 games earlier this season, he leads the Panthers with 25 goals, including two on Saturday.

Defenseman Aaron Ekblad earned his 35th assist on Saturday, which is one short of tying his career high. He has 29 games left to obliterate that mark.

Barkov said what’s happened during this slump is more of a credit to the three teams who beat Florida – that’s Nashville, Columbus and Edmonton -- than it is a black mark against the Panthers.

“We have great chemistry as a team,” Barkov said. “The effort is there. We’re trying hard to play every shift.

“There’s no reason to be frustrated.”