"It's going to be weird," said Bennett, who was drafted fourth-overall by Calgary in 2014. "It's going to be a little different for me, but really excited just to be back in that building. It's going to be weird playing them for the first time, but the game I'm really excited for and I'm just looking forward to that."
Finding a new home with the Panthers, Bennett has played a key role in the team's climb to the top of the standings this season. In 29 games, the 25-year-old has notched 23 points (15 goals, eight assists) while centering the second line, including scoring six goals in his last four games.
Overall, he's produced 38 points (21 goals, 17 assists) in 39 games since joining the Panthers.
"Any time you can generate some personal success and help the team win, it's a great feeling," said Bennett, who has already netted a pair of hat tricks this season. "I'm enjoying my time in South Florida, that's for sure."
With Bennett carrying a hot stick, the Panthers enter tonight's game riding high after extending their point streak to nine games with a 9-2 drubbing of the Blue Jackets on Saturday in Sunrise.
As if that lopsided win wasn't impressive enough by itself, the fact that it came less than 24 hours after a 7-1 win over the Stars makes it even more incredible. Per the NHL, the Panthers are just the second team in the past 25 years to register 16 goals over back-to-back contests.
Filling up the back of the net while outscoring their opponents 54-23 during their impressive point streak, five different Cats have scored at least five goals in that stretch: Anthony Duclair (7), Carter Verhaeghe (6), Bennett (6), Jonathan Huberdeau (5) and Aleksander Barkov (5).
Heading to the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas next month, Huberdeau ranks first in the league in assists (38) and tied for third in points (38). During Florida's current point streak, the dynamic playmaker has notched 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) to go along with a +13 rating.
Not to be lost in the shuffle of all that scoring, Sergei Bobrovsky has also been standing on his head between the pipes. Racing out to a 19-3-3 record this season, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner has posted a 7-0-1 record with a .929 save percentage over his last eight appearances.
"We're just having fun with it every single day," said Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, who matched a career-high with four points (one goal, three assists) against Columbus. "When we come to the rink, everybody's just having fun. We've realized how good we are and how fast we can skate. It's a great feeling."
Looking to snap out of a four-game losing streak in which they've been outscored 20-7, the Flames, who've played just three games in 14 days due to COVID-19 postponements, enter tonight's matchup on the heels of a discouraging 4-1 loss to the Senators back on Jan. 13.
Ushering in that losing streak, the Flames won two straight games before falling by a score of 6-2 in their first meeting with the Panthers on Jan. 4 at FLA Live Arena. Patric Hornqvist scored a pair of goals to lead Florida's offense, while Bobrovsky made 47 saves in net to stifle the Flames.
Up front, Johnny Gaudreau leads Calgary in assists (24) and points (39), while Andrew Mangiapane is first in goals (18). In net, Jacob Markstrom has gone 12-8-5 with a .924 save percentage, but is 2-4-1 with a .887 save percentage over his last seven appearances.
Owning a league-best .750 points percentage, the Panthers boast a record of 26-7-5, while the Flames, who sit just four points out of a wild card spot in the Western Conference, are 17-11-6.
"I think confidence is a big thing in the NHL, and I can tell you firsthand that every guy in that room has a lot of confidence," Weegar said. "All four lines, all six D, Bob and Knighter, we all have a lot of confidence right now. Even the coaching staff has a lot of confidence back there. They've done a great job getting us ready and making adjustments throughout the game."
