Panthers Pregamer 3.28.21 at DAL

MARCH 28, 2021 at DALLAS STARS

American Airlines Center | 6 P.M. ET
Television: Fox Sports Florida

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

PANTHERS vs. STARS

ALL-TIME vs. DAL: 20-18-3-1

ALL-TIME ROAD at DAL: 10-7-2-0

STREAKS: FLA has won each of its last two games against DAL

2020-21 vs. DAL: 3-1-0

TEAM STATS

	FLORIDA (21-9-4)	DALLAS (11-11-9)
GOALS FOR	110 (8^thmost)	87 (T-24^thmost)
GOALS AGAINST	95 (15^thfewest)	79 (5^th fewest)
POWER PLAY %	24.8 (7^th)	23.1 (T-13^th)
PENALTY KILL %	80.8 (12^th)	76.8 (20^th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME	34.7 (2^ndmost)	29.5 (T-16th most)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME	30.2 (T-17^thfewest)	27.0 (3^rd fewest)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	52.5 (7^th)	52.7 (T-5^th)
FACEOFF WIN %	50.0 (17^th)	50.3 (16^th)

CATS STATS

The Panthers have won three of their four matchups against the Stars this season, while owning a 4-1-0 mark over their last five contests against DAL dating back to Dec. 20, 2019. Through FLA’s four contests this season against DAL, Carter Verhaeghe leads the team with five points (3-2-5). Sergei Bobrovsky has notched a 2-0-0 record and .932 save percentage vs. DAL this season, while Chris Driedger has posted a .940 save percentage through two appearances (1-1-0).
The Panthers own a 28.8 road power play percentage (ranking third in the NHL) and an 85.5 road penalty kill percentage (ranking fourth in the NHL). Jonathan Huberdeau‘s 20 road points (5-15-20) leads the Cats, while Carter Verhaeghe leads the club with nine road goals.
Over 14 of Florida’s games in the month of March, Aleksander Barkov (5-11-16) leads the Panthers in points, while Aaron Ekblad (5-5-10) leads Florida’s defensemen in scoring. Through those 14 games, Ekblad has averaged 25:57 TOI, the fourth-highest total in the NHL. Carter Verhaeghe has notched a team-leading eight goals and +11 rating through March, ranking tied for seventh in the NHL for goals and tied for sixth in plus/minus. Over 10 appearances in March, Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 7-3-0 mark.
The Panthers are tied for the third-highest win percentage in games where they have surrendered the first goal (.571), while standing tied with TBL for the most wins in the NHL when scored against first (12). Florida has scored 39 goals in the third period this season, tied for the fourth-most in the NHL.
On March 27 at DAL, Carter Verhaeghe produced a career-best four points including his second career hat trick and first with FLA. He last scored a hat trick on Jan. 7, 2020 vs. VAN. Verhaeghe’s hat trick had three goals scored in different fashions (EVG, PPG, SHG), becoming the third Panthers player in franchise history to score a hat trick with an even-strength goal, power play goal and shorthanded goal, joining Colton Sceviour (Oct. 30, 2016 at DET) and Nathan Horton (Dec. 14, 2009 at NYI).
Verhaeghe’s power play goal marked his first power play point with FLA, while his shorthanded marker was the first of his NHL career. He has amassed 11 points (7-4-11) over his past 10 games, owning a team-leading 13 even-strength goals. His EVG total ranks tied for sixth in the NHL, while his +17 rating is tied for fifth. The 2020 Stanley Cup Champion leads the Cats with 26 even-strength points and an 18.5 shooting percentage.
Jonathan Huberdeau has recorded five points (1-4-5) over his last seven games and two assists over his last three games. Huberdeau ranks tied for first on FLA in points (37), while leading Florida in assists (26) and power-play points (16). Huberdeau’s 16 power-play points this season ranks tied for sixth in the NHL.
Huberdeau has produced 15 points (5-10-15) over 15 career games vs. DAL, the most points by any Panther vs. DAL in franchise history.
Aaron Ekblad registered Florida’s OT game-winning goal on March 27 at DAL, marking his 11th goal of the season. Ekblad’s 11 goals ranks tied for first among all NHL defensemen, while his six power-play tallies and three game-winning goals rank first in the league among defensemen. The two-time AllStar blueliner’s overtime goal marked his fifth of his career, tying Stephen Weiss for the second-most OT goals scored in franchise history.
Noel Acciari enters tonight’s game with four assists over his last three games. Over his last three games, Acciari has produced a 61.8 faceoff win percentage and team-leading 9:22 shorthanded time on ice. The 29-year-old native of Johnston, R.I., leads all FLA forwards with 36 blocked shots and ranks second among FLA forwards with 55 hits. Over 14 games in March, Acciari has posted 10 points (3-7-10).
Sergei Bobrovsky owns an 8-3-1 record over his last 12 appearances. Over that 12-game span, Bobrovsky has posted a .912 save percentage. The 32-year-old netminder owns a 7-3-0 road record. His seven road wins are tied for fourth in the NHL.
Chris Driedger‘s .923 save percentage is tied for sixth-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 has registered nine points (1-8-9) over his last 11 games played. He recorded the team’s longest assist (six games) and point streaks (seven games) this season from March 7-20.
On March 23 at CHI, Radko Gudas logged a career-high 11 hits, the most recorded in a single game by a Panther since the NHL began tracking hits (2005-06). Gudas stands as FLA’s leader with 156 hits this season. Over his last 27 games, from Feb. 4 to March 27, Gudas logged an NHL-leading 134 hits.
On March 27 at DAL, Keith Yandle extended the NHL’s longest active “Ironman” streak to 900 consecutive games played. The 34-year-old’s games played streak began on March 26, 2009.
Florida is one of two teams (PHI) to have had three different players register hat tricks this season: Noel Acciari, Jonathan Huberdeau, Carter Verhaeghe.
The Cats have logged a league-leading 90 hits (tied) over their past three games.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– March 27: F Patric Hornqvist placed on IR, F Brett Connolly, D Riley Stillman recalled from FLA Taxi Squad, D Anton Stralman loaned to FLA Taxi Squad
– March 25: F Eetu Luostarinen recalled from FLA Taxi Squad, F Brett Connolly loaned to FLA Taxis Squad, D Noah Juulsen assigned to Syracuse

(AHL) on conditioning loan

FLA-DAL CONNECTIONS

FLA defenseman Kevin Connauton played 44 games for DAL (2013-14 to 2014-15), producing 10 points (1-9-10).
FLA goaltender Philippe Desrosiers was selected by DAL in the second round (54^th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
DAL defenseman Mark Pysyk played 292 games (2016-17 to 2019-20) for FLA, registering 62 points (17-45-62).
FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and DAL forward Blake Comeau were teammates on CBJ from 2012-13 to 2013-14.
FLA forwards Patric Hornqvist and Alex Wennberg were teammates with DAL defenseman John Klingberg on Team Sweden at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
FLA goaltender Philippe Desrosiers and DAL forward Jason Dickinson were teammates on Team Canada at the 2013 IIHF U18 World Championship, earning Gold Medals.
FLA forward Patric Hornqvist and DAL forward Alexander Radulov were teammates on NSH (2011-12).
FLA forward Vinnie Hinostroza and DAL defenseman Stephen Johns were teammates at the University of Notre Dame (2013-14).
FLA forward Frank Vatrano and DAL defenseman Joel Hanley were teammates at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (2013-14).
FLA Amateur Scout Bill Ryan and DAL goaltender Ben Bishop were teammates at the University of Maine (2005-06 to 2007-08).
FLA forward Aleksander Barkov and DAL forward Roope Hintz share the hometown of Tampere, Finland.
FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe and DAL forward Ty Dellandrea share the hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
FLA Chief Commercial Officer Shawn Thornton was teammates with DAL forward Tyler Seguin and DAL Director of Player Development Rich Peverley on the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.
FLA Director of Amateur Scouting Shane Churla served as an amateur scout for DAL for seven seasons (2005-06 to 2012-13). He also played 366 games (1988-89 to 1995-96) for MNS/DAL, recording 60 points (24-36-60).
DAL Senior Advisor Marty Turco played for FLA Head Coach Joel Quenneville on CHI (2010-11). Turco was also teammates with FLA Chief Commercial Officer Shawn Thornton on BOS (2011-12).
FLA Director of Professional Scouting Al Tuer played six games (1987-88) for MNS, notching one assist.
FLA Professional Scout Patrick Eaves played 160 games (2014-15 to 2016-17), registering 81 points (46-35-81).
FLA Professional Scout Les Jackson spent 31 seasons (1985-86 to 1997-98, 2001-02 to 2019-20) in the MNS/DAL organization as a Scout, Assistant Coach, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, Director of Hockey Operations, Director Player Development, Director of Player Personnel, and Senior Advisor.
FLA Assistant Athletic Trainer Tommy Alva served as Assistant Athletic Trainer for DAL from 2003-04 to 2006-07 and is a native of Dallas, Texas.

CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY

Franchise Goals	Franchise Assists	Franchise Points
1. Olli Jokinen (188)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (315)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (474)
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)