PREVIEW: Blackhawks vs. Panthers - March 25, 2021

TIME: 7 p.m. CT
TV:NBCSCH | RADIO:WGN 720-AM / TUDN 1200-AM | STREAM:
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The Blackhawks and Panthers meet again for the fourth time in 13 days on Thursday night as Chicago goes for a second straight win over their Florida foe.

TEAM RECORDS

CHI: 15-13-5, 35 PTS
FLA: 20-8-4, 44 PTS

LAST TIME OUT

Chicago took a 3-2 win over Florida on Tuesday night at the United Center to snap a four-game losing skid that dated back to two meetings between the sides in South Florida on March 13 and 15. Dominik Kubalik, Pius Suter and Carl Soderberg put the Blackhawks in front 3-0 in the opening 24:22 of the game before withstanding a comeback attempt from the visitors late with tallies by Anton Stralman and Alex Wennberg. Kevin Lankinen made 33 stops in the win, his 11th of the season.
It was the first victory Chicago took over Florida in five meetings this season (1-3-1).

YOU, AGAIN

Chicago is 10-3-2 in the second straight meeting against the same opponent this season, suffering two regulation losses against Florida and Tampa last week -- the only two such defeats in the second outing since the opening set of the year.

TIGHTENING RACE

The Blackhawks enter the night with a two-point lead over Columbus and a four-point lead over Nashville for the fourth and final playoff spot with all three teams having 23 games left to play. Dallas, who has four games in hand on the trio, is seven points back of Chicago and is also firmly in the playoff hunt as the season approaches the final six and a half weeks.
Of Chicago's next 15 games beginning Thursday night, 10 are against the three other teams in the hunt (Columbus - 2, Dallas - 2 and Nashville - 6). Three of the remaining five come against team above them in the standings as well (vs. Florida on Thursday and two games against Carolina next week).

ON THE PROWL

Alex DeBrincat extended his point streak (1G, 2A) to three games with a helper and matched a career high with three takeaways against the Panthers on Tuesday. Since he returned to the lineup on Feb. 2 after being removed from COVID-19 protocol, Alex DeBrincat is second in the NHL with 14 goals and shares eighth with 26 points. His 16 markers this season share sixth in the league and sits 13th with 24 takeaways this year.
The Farmington Hills, Michigan native is averaging a season-high 20:29 of time on ice per game this year, eclipsing his previous season high was 17:42 during the 2018-19 campaign.

ALL-AMERICAN

Patrick Kane recorded two assists on Tuesday to pass Keith Tkachuk for fourth on the NHL's all-time scoring list among U.S.-born players at 1066 career points. He now trails only Mike Modano (1374), Phil Housley (1232) and Jeremy Roenick (1216) on that list.
He is third in the league with 44 points and shares second with 32 helpers during the 2020-21 campaign. The winger's current 22:03 of average TOI per game is third in the league among forwards and is the second highest total of his career (22:29 during the 2018-19 season).

DOMINANT DOMINIK

Kubalik matched his career-long point streak (2G, 5A) of six games with a goal against the Panthers on Tuesday. He also recorded a point (7G, 3A) in six straight games from Jan. 2-14 of last season. Overall, he has 12 points (6G, 6A) over his last 14 games.
The winger's 15 helpers are third on the club this season. Kubalik shares 15th in the league with 13 power-play points (3G, 10A) this year.

EVERYTHING BHAGEL

Brandon Hagel picked up an assist and had a career-high five shots on goal against the Panthers on Tuesday evening. He registered a goal on March 13 and had markers in back-to-back games (March 13 and 15) for the first time in his NHL career. His three-game point streak (2G, 1A) from March 11-15 matched a season high (Feb. 27 - March 4).
Hagel shares 12th in the league among rookies with 11 points (3G, 8A) this year and his eight helpers are ninth among first-year skaters.

YOUNG GUNS

MacKenzie Entwistle became the seventh Blackhawk to make his NHL debut this season on Tuesday night.
Five Blackhawks rookies have notched their first career NHL marker this year. Suter is second and Philipp Kurashev shares fourth among rookie goal scoring leaders during the 2020-21 campaign. Suter is ninth with 14 points and Kurashev shares 12th with 12 points.
Chicago leads the NHL with 23 goals and is second with 49 points from rookies this season.