SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers will be looking to get some payback when they wrap their two-game season series against the Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday.
Getting a big boost, Sam Bennett will return to the lineup for the Panthers after missing the last five games. The victim of some bad luck, Bennett suffered a lower-body injury at Boston on Oct. 30 after having previously missed the first seven games of the season due to a different lower-body injury sustained in the preseason.
“You get a big man in the middle, and there’s an identity there,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Bennett, who will center the second line in his return. “He’s heavy in our end and he can get to their D. There’s physicality he brings. He’s such a complement on whoever we play him with.”
Sitting at 8-4-1 and winning four of their last five games, the Panthers haven’t suffered a loss since falling by a score of 5-2 in their first meeting with the Blackhawks in Chicago on Nov. 4.
“We have to be ready from the start,” forward Eetu Luostarinen said when asked about the impending rematch after Friday’s practice in Sunrise. “We can’t give up that many goals.”
In the Windy City, it was a slow start that cost the Panthers a shot at some points.
After falling behind 4-0 – including surrendering three goals within the first 12:39 of the first period – the Panthers briefly cut the deficit to 4-2 in the third period on goals from Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Matthew Tkachuk before Philipp Kurashev sealed the game at 5-2 with an empty-net goal.
So what should players take away from the loss?
“I’m hoping none of it,” Maurice said. “The first period, let’s give them credit, they had a great first period and we did not. The next two, the shots were 34-10, but you can’t play a hockey game like that. We played it like the goalie was out. We had five guys in the crease all night. That’s great, but you’re still giving up odd-man rushes. It has to be more complete.”
Outside of that uncharacteristic performance, the Panthers have been lights out as of late.
Finding success on both sides of the puck – particularly on defense despite still missing two pillars in Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour – the Panthers have gone 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. During that hot stretch, they own the seventh-ranked defense in the NHL with just 2.64 goals allowed per tilt.
Picking up right where they left off after their sweep in last year’s Eastern Conference Final, the Panthers pieced together one of their best efforts to date in a 5-2 win over Carolina on Friday.
Aleksander Barkov, Uvis Balinskis, Carter Verhaeghe, Kevin Stenlund and Tkachuk scored in the win, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves. For Balinskis, the goal was the first of his NHL career. Carrying a scorching stick, Barkov has found the back of the net in each of the last three games.
Tkachuk also pushed his point streak to five games.
Possibly the most impressive part of the win, however, was the penalty kill.
Over three power plays, the Hurricanes registered zero shots on goal.
“Lately we’ve been doing a good job on the PK,” Luostarinen said. “We’ve been doing a good job on the [zone] entries. We can pressure hard and keep on pressuring until they get worn down.”
Sitting at 5-7-0, the Blackhawks enter today’s matchup looking to build off a 5-3 win at Tampa Bay on Thursday. Rookie sensation Connor Bedard racked up two goals and two assists against the Lightning, while Nick Foligno had three assists. In net, Petr Mrazek stopped 30 of 33 shots.
The 1st overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard leads Chicago in goals (7) and points (11).
“It’s their transition game, their speed,” Maurice said when asked about today’s test. “They’ve got Connor Bedard, obviously, but they’ve got other very fast, very skilled players. We need to manage the puck through the neutral zone and play with a higher intensity at the start.”
Owning a 5-0-1 record over his last six games, Bobrovsky will get the start for the Panthers.
In the cage at the other end of the ice, Arvid Soderblom is expected to go for the Blackhawks.
PREGAME QUOTES
“These games count when we’re trying to get to the playoffs. We’re still missing some guys, but doing a good job of winning these games.” – Eetu Luostarinen on banking points in November
“It’s really crazy. I was happy to make an NHL team and play the first game of the season. Now, to score my first NHL goal, it’s unreal.” -- Uvis Balinskis on scoring his first NHL goal on Friday
FIVE CATS STATS
- The Panthers have posted a 5-1-0 record at Amerant Bank Arena this season.
- Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with eight multi-point showings this season.
- Aleksander Barkov has produced 27 points in 25 career games against Chicago.
- Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 4-1-0 record at home this season.
- The Panthers have gone 5-2-0 in their last seven meetings with the Blackhawks.
- Gustav Forsling leads the Panthers in average ice time per game (24:07).
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Evan Rodrigues – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Nick Cousins
Ryan Lomberg – Kevin Stenlund – Steven Lorentz
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov
Josh Mahura – Uvis Balinskis
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Anthony Stolarz
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
- Nov. 11: F Rasmus Asplund loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
- Nov. 7: F Jonah Gadjovich loaned to Charlotte (AHL) on conditioning assignment
- Nov. 2: F Rasmus Asplund recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
HOW TO WATCH
When: Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. ET
Where: Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, FL
TV & Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports+, NHL Network
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 1230 WBZT (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); 101.7 WCZR (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932; Panthers App
Tickets: Here
