gamepreviewweb2-7-21

SUNRISE, Fla. -The Panthers want to keep their foot on the gas.
Flying out of the starting gate on fire, the Panthers will look to extend their impressive season-opening point streak to nine games when they host the Red Wings at BB&T Center on Sunday afternoon. At 6-0-2, Florida is currently the only team left in the NHL without a loss in regulation.

"Everyone's saying it's a fresh start here," Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said. "There's a lot of new guys, and everyone is coming in and gelling together. It's going well so far, but it's only [eight] games. There's a ton more games. We've still got lots of work to do."
Leading the Panthers with six goals, Verhaeghe netted the game-winner in Friday's 2-1 win over the Predators when he finished off a tic-tac-toe sequence with captain Aleksander Barkov in the second period. Of Verhaeghe's six goals, all of them have been notched while at even strength.
"A smart, hard-fought win," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said.
The backbone of Florida's seventh-ranked offense, the top line of Barkov, Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair has combined for 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists). Trailing only Jonathan Huberdeau (12), Barkov sits second on the team with 11 points (four goals, seven assists).
Entering tonight's matchup on a four-game point streak, Barkov has three goals in that span.
"The whole team's clicking," said Verhaeghe, who has recorded three multi-point games this season. "If one guy's not going, the other guys are going. It's awesome. The chemistry with me and Barky, he's a great player, so easy to play with... We click pretty well, same with Duke."
Protecting their house in more ways than one, the Panthers, who own a 3-0-1 record on home ice, have also benefited from an uptick in physicality this season - a movement spearheaded by newcomer Radko Gudas. Known as "The Butcher," the tough-as-nails blueliner leads the team and ranks tied for fifth in the NHL with 41 hits, including dishing out 19 over his last two games.
"Our team is going to be harder to play against, and that's a good thing," Quenneville said.
Already their third meeting this season, the Panthers won back-to-back games in Detroit on Jan. 30 and 31, taking both contests by a score of 3-2. Overall, Florida has won each of its last eight games against the Red Wings, while also earning at least one point in each of its last 10 games.
Sitting in last place in the Central Division at 2-8-2, Detroit has dropped each of their last eight games, including a 3-1 loss across the state at Tampa Bay on Friday. During their losing streak, the Red Wings have been outscored 33-13 while scoring more than two goals in just one game.
"We controlled what we could control and we showed up," Detroit captain Dylan Larkin told reporters after the loss to the first-place Lightning. "That's a heck of a hockey team over there."
Larkin leads the Red Wings in scoring with nine points (four goals, five assists), while Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi are tied for second with seven points apiece. Bertuzzi, who also leads the team in goals with five, is expected to miss this afternoon's game due to an injury.
With Jonathan Bernier also nursing an injury, Thomas Greiss could potentially make his sixth straight appearance for Detroit. In 13 games this season, the 35-year-old owns a 0-7-2 record - including a pair of losses to Florida - with a 3.27 goals-against average and .892 save percentage. Behind him, backup Calvin Pickard could also potentially get the call to start.
As for the Panthers, it's going to either be Sergei Bobrovsky or Chris Driedger between the pipes against the Red Wings. While both goaltenders boast 3-0-1 records, Driedger holds an advantage in both goals-against average (1.72) and save percentage (.942) over Bobrovsky.
In Friday's win over the Predators, Driedger stopped 24 of 25 shots.
"Every win, every start, every game in this league is just a little more experience to fall back on," said Driedger, who is in his second season with Florida. "I've been fortunate to see some starts here in the first few games. It's been good, and the wins definitely help. It's been a lot of fun."
With no skate this morning, Quenneville will provide updates to the media at 1:15 p.m. ET. Stay tuned to @FlaPanthers and @JamesonCoop on Twitter for pre-game updates.

TEAM RECORDS

FLA: 6-0-2, 14 PTS
DET:2-8-2, 6 PTS
FLA all-time vs. DET: 25-17-5-6

PANTHERS NOTES

-- Jonathan Huberdeau leads Florida in points (12) and assists (8). In 26 career games against the Red Wings, the 27-year-old forward has accumulated 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists).
-- Celebrating his 25th birthday today, Aaron Ekblad has registered six points (three goals, three assists) in eight games while also leading the Panthers in average ice time per contest (25:59). In 24 career games against the Red Wings, he's racked up 16 points (three goals, 13 assists).
-- A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Patric Hornqvist ranks second on Florida in goals (5) and fourth in points (8). Of his five goals, a team-leading three have come with the man advantage.
-- Anthony Duclair is tied for second on the Panthers with six assists.
-- Keith Yandle leads Florida's defensemen in scoring with seven points (two goals, five assists). The 34-year-old is also second on the team in power-play points with six (one goal, five assists).
-- The Panthers have played in seven consecutive one-goal games.

PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE, NO MORNING SKATE)

Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Anthony Duclair
Jonathan Huberdeau - Eetu Luostarinen - Patric Hornqvist
Frank Vatrano - Alex Wennberg - Owen Tippett
Vinnie Hinostroza - Juho Lammikko - Noel Acciari
Defensemen
MacKenzie Weegar - Aaron Ekblad
Radko Gudas - Anton Stralman
Keith Yandle - Noah Juulsen
Goaltenders
Chris Driedger
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratches: Brett Connolly, Markus Nutivaara
Taxi squad:Mason Marchment, Ryan Lomberg, Kevin Connauton, Philippe Desrosiers

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

  • Feb. 7: F Mason Marchment was recalled from Florida's taxi squad, while F Scott Wilson was reassigned to Florida's taxi squad from Syracuse (AHL).
    - Feb. 5: F Aleksi Heponiemi was loaned to Syracuse (AHL) and F Owen Tippett was recalled from Florida's taxi squad.
    - Feb. 3: F Owen Tippett was assigned to Florida's taxi squad.
    - Jan. 30: F Aleksi Heponiemi and F Owen Tippett were added to Florida's active roster, while F Ryan Lomberg was assigned to the taxi squad.
    - Jan. 30: D Gustav Forsling was placed on the injured reserve list.

IN-ARENA ACTIVATIONS

-
50/50 Raffle
- A limited number of fans will be admitted to BB&T Center for home games this season. Learn about the health and safety precautions that have been taken as a part of the "Red Reminders" program presented in conjunction with Baptist Health South Florida at
FloridaPanthers.com/RedReminders
.
- Mobile Ordering is now available at BB&T Center for Panthers games. Visit
FloridaPanthers.com/MobileOrdering
for all the info.

HOW TO WATCH / LISTEN

When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: BB&T Center
TV: FOX Sports Florida
Stream:
FOX Sports GO
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); 107.9 FM /1370 AM WZTA (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM 219 / Streaming 932