VANCOUVER – The Florida Panthers will try to stretch their point streak to eight games when they face-off against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday.
Leading the Atlantic Division at 18-9-2, the Panthers have gone 6-0-1 during their streak while averaging 4.57 goals per game and operating at a stellar 42.3% on the power play.
“We’ve been playing hard,” defenseman Niko Mikkola said. “It’s been close games. I think that’s how we like it. Last game was a one-goal game, and we managed to get the win.”
Pocketing two points on the first stop of their five-game road trip, the Panthers enter tonight’s matchup feeling great after a 2-1 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.
Aleksander Barkov scored the lone goal for the Panthers in regulation and dazzled with another in the shootout. Leading the team in goals (19) and points (39) this season, Sam Reinhart also lit the lamp during the shootout and assisted on Barkov’s goal in regulation.
Tying Curtis Joseph for the seventh-most road wins in NHL history with the 190th of his career, Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves, not including two extra stops in the shootout.
A dominant defensive effort, Florida led Seattle 27-14 in scoring chances at 5-on-5.
“I think it started from the forecheck,” Mikkola said. “We played with all five guys.”
Sitting fourth in the Pacific Division at 14-8-5, the Canucks have lost three of their last four games and are trying to rebound for a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Lous Blues on Tuesday.
Trailing 3-1 in the second period, the Canucks managed to even the score on goals from Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk to get the game to overtime. In the extra frame, Dylan Holloway scored the game-winning goal for the Blues.
A bit of a statistical oddity, Vancouver is 10-2-1 on the road, but just 4-6-4 at home.
The NHL’s reigning Norris Trophy winner, defenseman Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks in scoring with 32 points (seven goals, 25 assists), with 13 of those points coming on the power play. In second place, Pettersson has logged 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists).
Out of action since Nov. 17, J.T. Miller will return to the lineup for the Canucks tonight. Nearly a point-per-game player, the physical forward has notched 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 17 games.
On Oct. 17, Miller scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 overtime win at Florida.
“It’s going to be huge, even more so because of the situation,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Miller’s return. “He’s a very intense player, a point producer that’s physical. He kind of drives that forward unit in terms of style of play.”
Kevin Lankinen will get the start in net for Vancouver. Sitting at 13-4-3 with a .908 save percentage, the Finnish netminder always brings his A-game against the Panthers, posting a 6-3-2 record with a .921 save percentage in 11 career appearances against Florida.
For the Panthers, Bobrovsky will man the crease.
Over his last four games, No. 72 has allowed just one goal three times.
THEY SAID IT
“I don’t have a word for it. It’s always fun to see what the next move is. He’s one of a kind.” – Niko Mikkola on Aleksander Barkov’s shootout goal in Seattle
“I played with Quinn for a year. He’s a dynamic player. He can do a lot of things with the puck that a lot of people can’t.” – Nate Schmidt on Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes
FIVE CATS STATS
- The Panthers have scored 11 power-play goals over their last seven games.
- The Panthers are averaging 3.79 goals per game on the road this season.
- Sam Bennett has recorded a point in seven of his last eight games.
- The Panthers are 8-0-1 when Aleksander Barkov scores this season.
- Sam Reinhart leads the Panthers with 11 goals on the road this season.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Jesper Boqvist – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Evan Rodrigues
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Mackie Samoskevich
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov
Nate Schmidt – Uvis Balinskis
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
- Dec. 6: G Chris Driedger loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
- Dec. 6: F Mackie Samoskevich recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Thursday, Dec. 12 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
Radio: 790 WAXY (Dade/Broward); 1230 WBZT-AM & 92.1 WZZR-FM (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); Panthers App; SiriusXM App & Streaming 931
Cats on Tap: Click to View Participating Bars & Restaurants
