Panthers Pregamer 3.23.21 at CHI

MARCH 23, 2021 at CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

United Center | 8 P.M. ET
Television: Fox Sports Florida | ESPN+

Radio: 560 WQAM| 640 WMEN | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM STREAMING CH. 932

PANTHERS vs. BLACKHAWKS

ALL-TIME vs. CHI: 17-18-3-7

ALL-TIME ROAD at CHI: 7-9-2-3

STREAKS: FLA has won each of its last four games against CHI, has earned points in each of their last nine games against CHI (6-0-3), has won each

of its last two road games at CHI and has earned points in each of its last four road games at CHI (2-0-2)

2020-21 vs. CHI: 4-0-0

TEAM STATS

	FLORIDA (20-7-4)	CHICAGO (14-13-5)
GOALS FOR	104 (T-4^th)	93 (T-15^th)
GOALS AGAINST	86 (19^th)	104 (T-5^th)
POWER PLAY %	25.5 (8^th)	28.0 (3^rd)
PENALTY KILL %	81.1 (T-11^th)	72.5 (28^th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME	34.7 (2^nd)	29.5 (20^th)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME	30.4 (14^th)	33.9 (1^st)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	52.5 (7^th)	46.8 (28^th)
FACEOFF WIN %	49.8 (19^th)	46.1 (29^th)

CATS STATS

The Panthers topped the Blackhawks in each of their four meetings this season (4-0-0). The Cats will visit Chicago for the first time this season in tonight’s matchup. FLA has outscored CHI 20-11 over their four games. Through the four-game series, Aleksander Barkov has produced a team-leading nine points (3-6-9), while Carter Verhaeghe has scored a team-best four goals. Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a 3-0-0 record against CHI this season.
Florida owns a 4-2-0 record over its last six games road games. On March 11 at CBJ, the Cats reached their 10th road win of the season. FLA’s 10th win in their 13th road game of the season marked the fewest games the club has needed to reach 10 road wins (previously: 10-5-0, 1995-96). The Panthers .750 road win percentage leads the NHL.
Aleksander Barkov (5-13-18) and Jonathan Huberdeau‘s 18 road points (5-13-18) leads the Cats away from South Florida, while Patric Hornqvist has scored a team-best seven road goals.
The Panthers own a 92.0 penalty kill percentage (23-25) over their last seven games ranking second in the NHL. Over that span, MacKenzie Weegar leads the Panthers with 24:56 SH-TOI and Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a .939 save percentage during the opposition’s power play.
With a 2-0 win vs. NSH on March 20, Florida registered its 20th win of the season in its 30th game, marking the second-fewest games needed in franchise history to reach 20 wins in a single season (29 games, 1995-96). The Panthers own a 7-3-0 record over their last 10 games and have won five of their past seven games.
Over their last 10 games eight different Panthers have scored at least three goals: Noel Acciari, Aleksander Barkov (5), Aaron Ekblad (4), Patric Hornqvist, Jonathan Huberdeau, Owen Tippett, Frank Vatrano and Carter Verhaeghe (5). Barkov’s 13 points over the nine games leads the club.
FLA owns a 7-3-1 record through 11 games in the month of March. Over 11 games, Aleksander Barkov (5-11-16) leads the Cats in points, while Aaron Ekblad (4-5-9) and MacKenzie Weegar (1-8-9) lead Florida’s defense in points. Weegar and Carter Verhaeghe leads the club with a plus-eight rating. Barkov and Verhaeghe have scored a team-best five goals in March. Over eight appearances in March, Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 6-2-0 mark.
Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov has recorded nine points (4-5-9) over his last five games. He has registered five shots in four of his last five games. Barkov enters tonight’s game with 18 points (6-12-18) over his last 13 games. Barkov leads FLA in points (37) and is tied for the team lead in even-strength points (24) and takeaways (23).
Jonathan Huberdeau has produced three points (1-2-3) over his past four games, and 11 points (3-8-11) over his past 10 contests. Huberdeau ranks second on the team in points (35), while tied for the club lead in assists (24). He leads the Cats in power-play points (15).
Aaron Ekblad has recorded four goals and nine points over his last 10 games (4-5-9). Florida’s franchise leader in goals (81) and power-play goals (29) scored by a defenseman, Ekblad stands tied for second in the NHL this season for goals by defensemen (10) and first in power-play goals by D-men (6).
Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 7-2-1 record over his last 10 games. Over that 10-game span, Bobrovsky has posted a .913 save percentage, the seventh-highest among goalies who have made at least 10 appearances since Feb. 25. Bobrovsky’s personal six-game win streak (March 4-16) tied for the second-longest in franchise history behind only Roberto Luongo (9 wins, 2015-16).
Chris Driedger has earned wins in five of his last eight starts (5-2-1). Driedger owns an 8-3-2 record this season, and his .924 save percentage is tied for fourth-best among goalies with at least 13 appearances. On March 20 vs. NSH, he recorded his second career shutout and first shutout of the season.
MacKenzie Weegar produced a career-high seven-game point streak (1-8-9) from March 7-March 20, tying Keith Yandle (2-6-8, 2018-19) for the longest point streak by a Panthers defenseman in franchise history. His six-game assist streak and seven-game point streak were each the longest by a Panther this season. Weegar’s 18 even-strength points (2-16-18) ranks tied for second among NHL defensemen.
Patric Hornqvist has produced five points (3-2-5) over his past seven outings and leads FLA with seven power play goals. Hornqvist is tied for second on the Panthers in goals (12). The 34-year-old forward has notched 25 points (12-13-25) over 13 games in his first season with FLA.
Carter Verhaeghe has amassed seven points (4-3-7) over his past seven games. Verhaeghe owns a team-leading 12 even-strength goals, tied for fourth-most in the NHL. His +14 rating ranks first on Florida. Verhaeghe’s 24 points this season have all been recorded at even strength and is tied with Aleksander Barkov for most on the club.
Over his last four games, Gustav Forsling has produced three points (2-1-3). Over his 18 games this season, Forsling has registered 40 shots on goal, while averaging 18:26 TOI.
Anthony Duclair recorded a two-point game (1-1-2) on March 20 vs. NSH, his fifth multi-point effort of the season. The 25-year-old has produced four points (1-3-4) over his last five games.
Alex Wennberg has notched three points (1-2-3) over his last four games. Over that span, Wennberg has produced a 54.1 faceoff percentage and has totaled 12:45 SH-TOI.
Defenseman Radko Gudas leads FLA with 138 hits. Over his last 24 games, from Feb. 4 to March 21, Gudas logged an NHL-leading 116 hits. Gudas is one assist shy of his 100th NHL assist.
Florida is the only remaining team in the NHL without consecutive regulations losses.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– March 19: F Grigori Denisenko reassigned to Syracuse (AHL)
– March 13: F Anthony Duclair activated from IR, D Riley Stillman loaned to Taxi Squad

FLA-CHI CONNECTIONS

FLA forward Anthony Duclair played 23 games for CHI (2017-18), recording eight points (2-6-8).
FLA defenseman Gustav Forsling played all 122 games of his NHL career for CHI (2016-17 to 2018-19), notching 27 points (8-19-27).
FLA forward Vinnie Hinostroza is a native of Chicago, Ill., and was selected by CHI in the sixth round (169th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He played 106 games for CHI (2015-16 to 2017-18), posting 39 points (13-26-39).
FLA Head Coach Joel Quenneville served as Head Coach of CHI for 11 seasons (2008-09 to 2018-19), winning the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013 and 2015) and owning a 452-249-96 regular season coaching record.
FLA Assistant Coach Andrew Brunette played 78 games for CHI (2011-12), recording 27 points (12-15-27).
FLA Assistant Coach Ulf Samuelsson served as an Assistant Coach for CHI for two seasons (2017-18 to 2018-19).
FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Rick Dudley served five seasons (2004-05 to 2008-09) for CHI as Director of Player Personnel and Assistant General Manager .
FLA Director of Player Personnel Bryan McCabe played 79 games for CHI (1999-00), posting 25 points (6-19-25).
FLA Chief Commercial Officer Shawn Thornton played 31 games for CHI (2002-03 to 2005-06), recording three points (2-1-3) and 70 PIM.
FLA Goaltending Coach Robb Tallas appeared in 12 games for CHI (2000-01), posting a 2-7-0 record.
FLA Director of Hockey Operations & Salary Cap Management Braden Birch was originally selected by CHI in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft.
CHI defenseman Connor Murphy’s father Gord Murphy played six seasons for FLA (1993-94 to 1998-99), posting 142 points (42-100-142) over 410 games and served as an assistant coach for four seasons (2010-11 to 2013-14).
CHI forward Brandon Pirri appeared in 122 games for FLA over three seasons (2013-14 to 2015-16), amassing 62 points (40-22-62).
CHI forward Lucas Wallmark played seven games for FLA (2019-20), posting two points (1-1-2).

CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY

Franchise Goals	Franchise Assists	Franchise Points
1. Olli Jokinen (188)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (313)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (472)
2. Aleksander Barkov (168)	2. Aleksander Barkov (276)	2. Aleksander Barkov (444)
3. Jonathan Huberdeau (159)	3. Stephen Weiss (249)	3. Olli Jokinen (419)
4. Scott Mellanby (157)	4. Olli Jokinen (231)	4. Stephen Weiss (394)
5. Pavel Bure (152)	5. Robert Svehla (229)	5. Scott Mellanby (354)