"I really liked our effort," Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said after the loss in Tampa Bay. "I thought we worked hard and played hard for 60 minutes. Obviously, there's points in the game where you can learn from and get better from, and I think we'll do that and move on to Chicago."
In the loss to the Lightning, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling and Patric Hornqvist all found the back of the net for the Panthers - who were locked into a 3-3 tie until the midway point of the third period - while Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 23 shots that came in his direction.
Earning at least one point in six of his last seven games, Verhaeghe has accumulated four goals and four assists in that span. Trailing only Barkov on the Panthers in goals with 12, all of his scores have come at even-strength, which is currently tied for the fifth-most in the league.
In five career games against Chicago, Verhaeghe has tallied four goals and three assists.
"He's got a really good feel for the game," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said of Verhaeghe, who is in his first season with the team. "He's really positionally aware. He's got quick hands around the net and is dangerous off the rush or in the zone. He's got a pretty good chemistry thing going with Barky. He got off to a strong start and is continuing on in a good fashion."
Leading the team in scoring with 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists) Barkov has also been on fire in recent weeks, recording five goals and five assists over his last six contests. Especially strong against the Blackhawks this season, he's produced nine points in their four meetings thus far.
The only team in the league with six 10-goal scorers, Florida's offense currently ranks tied for fourth in the league overall (3.35 goals per game), but first on the road (3.86 goals per game).
"It's the NHL, so sometimes it's tougher to get goals, especially later in the season," said Panthers forward Frank Vatrano, who has lit the lamp 10 times already. "Teams are bearing down a little bit more. It's good to get that depth in scoring."
After Bobrovsky got the nod in Tampa Bay, Chris Driedger is expected to start tonight in the Windy City.
In 13 appearances this season, the 26-year-old has gone 8-3-2 with a 2.22 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and one shutout. Facing down the Blackhawks back on Jan. 17, he turned aside 28 of 30 shots to lead the Panthers to a 5-2 victory at BB&T Center. In terms of other lineup notes, Quenneville said to expect a few changes at forward tonight.
Just barely holding onto fourth place in the Central Division with a record of 14-13-5, Chicago has lost six of its last seven games and enters tonight's matchup on a four-game losing streak following a 4-1 defeat against the Lightning on Saturday.
Putting himself in the mid-season conversation for the Hart Trophy, Patrick Kane leads the team and ranks third in the league with 42 points (12 goals, 30 assists), while Alex DeBrincat leads the team and sits tied for sixth in the league with 16 goals.
Against Florida this season, that duo has combined nine points (four goals, five assists).
"You've got to be aware of him when you're on the ice," Quenneville said of Kane, who will be honored before puck drop for skating in the 1,000th game of his NHL career earlier this month. "If you can deny him the puck as best you can, that's an advantage. He's got a rapport with DeBrincat. They're finding one another. That combo is deadly in a lot of ways."
Manning the crease, the Blackhawks are expected to go with Kevin Lankinen. Owning a 10-7-4 record, the 25-year-old rookie goaltender has gone 0-2-1 with a 4.33 goals-against average and .869 save percentage in three head-to-head matchups with the Panthers so far this season.
With the goal of trying to never drop two games in a row, Florida is 9-0-1 following losses.
"That's something that everybody understood [at the start of the season]," Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman said of the team's bounce-back mentality. "We're not that team. We're not going on streaks like that. We're going to bounce back right away."
