FEB. 17, 2021 at CAROLINA HURRICANES
PNC Arena | 5 P.M.
Television: Fox Sports Florida | NHL Network
Radio: 560 WQAM | 640 WMEN | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM STREAMING CH. 932
PANTHERS vs. HURRICANES
ALL-TIME vs. CAR: 50-50-11-13
ALL-TIME ROAD at CAR: 19-36-3-4
2019-20 vs. CAR: 1-2-0
LAST ROAD WIN at CAR: Dec. 21, 2019 (4-2 W)
TEAM STATS
| FLORIDA (9-2-2) | CAROLINA (10-3-0) | |
| GOALS FOR | 43 (T-14th) | 47 (11th) |
| GOALS AGAINST | 39 (19th) | 36 (23rd) |
| POWER PLAY % | 29.7 (6th) | 27.9 (7th) |
| PENALTY KILL % | 76.9 (22nd) | 80.9 (15th) |
| SHOTS FOR PER-GAME | 31.0 (10th) | 31.6 (T-4th) |
| SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME | 30.5 (13th) | 27.5 (26th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 51.6 (10th) | 54.7 (4th) |
| FACEOFF WIN % | 50.0 (15th) | 53.9 (3rd) |
CATS STATS
- With Florida’s win on Feb. 15 at TBL, the club improved to a 4-0-1 (9 points) road record this season, marking the best start over the first five road games of a season in franchise history. Over their five road games, Aleksander Barkov (3-3-6) and Carter Verhaeghe (3-3-6) lead the Cats with six points. Florida’s road penalty kill percentage leads the NHL, standing at a sterling 95.0%, allowing just one power play goal through 20 penalty kills (19/20).
- The Panthers own a 9-2-2 record over the club’s first 13 games. Florida’s 20 points matches the most points accumulated by the club in franchise history over its first 13 games of a season (1996-97, 8-1-4-0).
- With a two-point night (1-1-2), on Feb. 15 at TBL, Aleksander Barkov recorded his 420th NHL point to pass Olli Jokinen for second on the Panthers franchise points list. Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau now occupy the top two positions on Florida’s all-time lists for assists and points.
- Jonathan Huberdeau enters tonight’s game as the Panthers leader in points (5-12-17) and assists (12). He registered his team-leading (tied) fifth multipoint game of the season on Feb. 15 at TBL. The multi-point outing was his second over his last four games. With a goal in the contest, Huberdeau registered his 153rd NHL goal, surpassing Pavel Bure for the fourth-most goals in Panthers history.
- Chris Driedger enters tonight’s match-up with a 4-1-1 record, and has earned wins in three of his last four starts. Over that span, Driedger owns a .922 save percentage and has stopped all 11 shots he has faced while the Panthers were shorthanded. Driedger earned a win and posted a .954 save percentage in lone career start against CAR on Dec. 21, 2019.
- Frank Vatrano enters tonight’s game on a career-high (tied) three-game goal streak. The 26-year-old native of East Longmeadow, Mass., tallied his first career penalty shot goal on Feb. 15 at TBL. Vatrano ranks second among FLA forwards in hits (19).
- Anthony Duclair tallied his first goal as a Panther on Feb. 15 at TBL. Duclair has produced all seven of his points (1-6-7) at even strength.
- Owen Tippett tallied his first goal of the season on Feb. 15 at TBL. The 21-year-old rookie enters tonight’s game with two points (1-1-2) over his last three games.
- Carter Verhaeghe enters tonight’s match-up leading the Cats in goals (7). With two assists on Feb. 15 at TBL, Verhaeghe notched his fourth multi-point game of the season. The native of Toronto, Ontario has recorded three points (1-2-3) over his last three games.
- The Panthers have logged a league-leading 216 hits over the club’s last seven games (Feb. 4 – Feb. 15). Over that seven-game span Radko Gudas registered a league-leading 50 hits.
- MacKenzie Weegar has posted two assists over his last three games. He enters tonight’s contest ranking tied for second on FLA in hits (33) and first among all Panthers D-men in blocked shots (16).
- Aaron Ekblad leads the Panthers with a team-high average 24:54 TOI per game. The native of Windsor, Ontario, has logged a team-leading total 328:38 of ice time over the club’s 13 games played. Over the 13-game span, Ekblad leads all Panthers defensemen with four goals and nine points (4-5-9).
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– Feb. 9: F Ryan Lomberg added to active roster from FLA Taxi Squad
– Feb. 8: F Mason Marchment assigned to FLA Taxi Squad
FLA-CAR CONNECTIONS
- FLA forward Eetu Luostarinen was selected by CAR in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He played eight games for CAR, producing one assist.
- FLA defenseman Gustav Forsling played 57 games (2019-20) for CAR’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, registering 26 points (8-18-26).
- CAR forward Vincent Trocheck was selected by FLA in the third round (64th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He played 420 games (2013-14 to 2019-20) for FLA, amassing 282 points (111-171-282).
- CAR goaltender James Reimer appeared in 123 games for FLA, posting a 53-42-16 record, .912 save percentage, and 2.85 goals against average.
- CAR forward Teuvo Teravainen played under FLA Head Coach Joel Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning a Stanley Cup in 2015.
- FLA defenseman Anton Stralman and CAR forward Jesper Fast were teammates on NYR (2013-14), including an appearance in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
- FLA forward Frank Vatrano and CAR defenseman Brady Skjei were teammates on Team USA at the 2012 IIHF U-18 World Junior Championships, earning Gold Medals.
- FLA forward Juho Lammikko and CAR forward Sebastian Aho were teammates on Team Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Gold Medals.
- FLA Assistant to the General Manager Blake Geoffrion and CAR defenseman Jake Gardiner were teammates at the University of Wisconsin (2008-09).
- FLA Assistant General Manager Paul Krepelka served as Vice President of Hockey Operations for CAR from 2018-19 to 2019-20.
- FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Rick Dudley Served as Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations for CAR from 2018-19 to 2019-20. He began his front office career in the ACHL with the Carolina Thunderbirds, serving as Owner, General Manager and Head Coach for four seasons (1982-83 to 1985-86).
- FLA Head Coach Joel Quenneville played 457 games (1983-84 to 1989-90) for the Hartford Whalers, recording 95 points (25-70-95).
- FLA Assistant Coach Ulf Samuelsson played 463 games (184-85 to 1990-91) for the Hartford Whalers, registering 175 points (31-144-175).
- FLA Director of Amateur Scouting Shane Churla played 22 games (1986-87 to 1987-88) for the Hartford Whalers, producing one assist.
- CAR Assistant Coach Jeff Daniels played 10 games for FLA (1993-94 to 1994-95).
- CAR Development Coach Sergei Samsonov played 20 games (2010-11) for FLA, notching 14 points (3-11-14).
CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY
| Franchise Goals | Franchise Assists | Franchise Points |
| 1. Olli Jokinen (188) | 1. Jonathan Huberdeau (301) | 1. Jonathan Huberdeau (454) |
| 2. Aleksander Barkov (160) | 2. Aleksander Barkov (261) | 2. Aleksander Barkov (421) |
| 3. Scott Mellanby (157) | 3. Stephen Weiss (249) | 3. Olli Jokinen (419) |
| 4. Jonathan Huberdeau (153) | 4. Olli Jokinen (231) | 4. Stephen Weiss (394) |
| 5. Pavel Bure (152) | 5. Robert Svehla (229) | 5. Scott Mellanby (354) |
PANTHERS LEADERS
Games Played: 12 Players (13)
Goals: Verhaeghe (7)
Assists: Huberdeau (12)
Points: Huberdeau (17)
Power-Play Goals: Hornqvist (4)
Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (8)
Shorthanded Goals: –
Shorthanded Points: –
Shots: Barkov (45)
PIM: Yandle (22)
+/-: Gudas (+7)
Faceoff Win % (Min. 100 faceoffs): Barkov (55.6)
Blocked Shots: Acciari (18)
Hits: Gudas (72)
TOI/GP: Ekblad (24:54)
PP TOI/GP: Yandle (3:24)
SH TOI/GP: Acciari (2:58)
Wins: Bobrovsky (5)
Shutouts: –
ACTIVE STREAKS
Goal Streak Vatrano (3 Games, 3 Goals)
Assist Streak Luostarinen (3 Games, 3 Assists)
Point Streak Vatrano (3 Games, 3-0-3), Luostarinen (3 Games, 0-3-3)
APPROACHING MILESTONES
Juho Lammikko…1st NHL Goal
Ryan Lomberg…1st NHL Goal
Brett Connolly…1 Goal Away…100th NHL Goal
Radko Gudas…4 Assists Away…100th NHL Assist
Aleksander Barkov…8 Games Away…500th NHL Game
Patric Hornqvist…8 Points Away…500th NHL Point
Radko Gudas…8 Games Away…500th NHL Game
Brett Connolly…9 Assists Away…100th NHL Assist
Brett Connolly…10 Points Away…200th NHL Point
