Panthers Pregamer 3.7.21 at CAR

MARCH 7, 2021 at CAROLINA HURRICANES

PNC Arena | 5 P.M. ET
Television: Fox Sports Florida

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

PANTHERS vs. HURRICANES

ALL-TIME vs. CAR: 51-50-11-15

ALL-TIME ROAD vs. CAR: 20-36-3-4

STREAKS: FLA has won each of its last two games at CAR…FLA is winless in each of its last two games against CAR (0-0-2)…FLA has earned points

in each of its last four games against CAR (2-0-2)

2020-21 vs. CAR: 1-0-2

LAST ROAD WIN vs. CAR: Feb. 17, 2021 (4-3 W-OT)

TEAM STATS

	FLORIDA (15-4-4)	CAROLINA (16-6-1)
GOALS FOR	77 (T-7^th)	77 (T-7^th)
GOALS AGAINST	64 (T-17th)	62 (23^rd)
POWER PLAY %	26.5 (6^th)	30.1 (4^th)
PENALTY KILL %	76.9 (20^th)	80.0 (14^th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME	34.6 (1^st)	31.7 (6^th)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME	30.9 (T-10^th)	29.6 (T-17^th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	52.5 (7^th)	52.8 (6^th)
FACEOFF WIN %	48.0 (24^th)	54.1 (2^nd)

CATS STATS

Tonight, Keith Yandle is expected to skate in his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 12th player in history to play their 1,000th NHL game with the Panthers. The native of Boston, Mass., becomes the 152nd NHL player, 115th defenseman, 52nd U.S.-born player and the 19th U.S.-born defenseman to reach the 1,000 games played milestone.
Yandle will be the fifth member of the 2005 NHL Draft class to reach 1,000 games and only the second defenseman to do so. The owner of the third-longest “Ironman” streak in NHL history (889), Yandle has posted three assists over his last two games.
FLA has earned points in all three meetings with CAR this season (1-0-2). All three of FLA’s games against CAR this season has been completed in overtime. The Panthers earned a 4-3 win in their last meeting at PNC Arena (Feb. 17). Jonathan Huberdeau recorded three points (2-1-3) including the OT game-winner in the contest.
The Cats have dropped each of their last two decisions against CAR (Feb. 27, March 1). Huberdeau’s four points (3-1-4) over three games vs. CAR leads Florida in the season series. Frank Vatrano has scored goals in each of the club’s last two games against the Hurricanes.
Florida owns an 8-1-1 record on the road this season, registering a 7-1-0 record over their last eight road games. Florida’s 8-1-1 road record marks their best road record through the club’s first 10 road games in franchise history. Florida’s .850 road points percentage leads the NHL.
On the opposition’s ice this season, the Panthers have logged a 90.9 PK% (30/33). Aleksander Barkov (5-9-14) and Jonathan Huberdeau (4-10-14) lead the Cats in road scoring. Huberdeau and Aaron Ekblad have scored a team-best five goals on the road this season.
Over Florida’s last 10 games (Feb. 17-March 6), the club has accumulated a league-leading 392 shots on goal. In that span, Aleksander Barkov (39) and Patric Hornqvist (38) lead the Panthers in shots on goal. Through the 10 games, the Panthers have averaged a league-best 39.2 shots per game.
Noel Acciari registered his first three goals of the season on March 6 at NSH, recording his third career hat trick (all with FLA). Acciari is the fourth Panthers player in franchise history to have recorded at least three hat tricks with the club, joining Pavel Bure (10), Ray Sheppard (5) and Olli Jokinen (4). Acciari leads all FLA forwards in blocked shots (20) and is tied with Ryan Lomberg for first among FLA forwards in hits (39).
Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov enters tonight’s game on a season-high five-game point streak (1-6-7). The native of Tampere, Finland has registered 15 points (4-11-15) over his last 11 games. Over Florida’s three games in March, Barkov has produced a team-leading five assists.
Jonathan Huberdeau has amassed 12 points (6-6-12) over his last 11 games. Huberdeau leads the Cats in points (28), goals (10) and power-play points (12), while tied for first on the club in assists (18). On March 6 at NSH, Huberdeau scored his 158th NHL goal, passing Scott Mellanby for the third-most goals scored in franchise history
Aaron Ekblad enters tonight’s game with three goals and six points over his last two games. The 25-year-old produced a career-high four points (2-2-4) on March 4 vs. NSH, tying the franchise record for points recorded in a game by a defenseman. Of Ekblad’s three goals over his last two games, he has tallied two on the power play.
The Panthers franchise leader in goals (80) and power play goals (28) by a defenseman, Ekblad’s nine goals and five power play goals this season leads all NHL defensemen. He is one goal shy of reaching 10 goals in a season for the sixth time in his seven-season career. Only four defensemen have registered six seasons with at least 10 goals since Ekblad entered the NHL in 2014-15.
Frank Vatrano enters tonight’s game with four goals over his last five games. Each of his last four goals in that span have been scored in the third period. All eight of Vatrano’s goals this season have been scored at even-strength.
Chris Driedger has earned wins in four of his last six starts (4-1-1). Through the six-start span, Driedger has posted a .929 save percentage during a FLA penalty kill.
Patric Hornqvist ranks second on FLA in goals (9) and has produced 20 points (9-10-19) in 23 GP with FLA this season. Hornqvist’s assist on March 6 at NSH marked his 500th NHL point. Hornqvist is the 27th Swedish-born NHLer to reach 500 points.
Over FLA’s last 17 games (Feb. 4 – March 6), the club has posted a league-best 437 hits and 136 takeaways. In that span, Radko Gudas ranks first in the NHL for hits and Eetu Luostarinen ranks tied for third in the NHL for takeaways (16).

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

– March 6: F Owen Tippett and F Grigori Denisenko recalled from Taxi Squad, D Riley Stillman loaned to Taxi Squad
– March 2: F Owen Tippett loaned to Taxi Squad
– March 1: F Owen Tippett, D Riley Stillman recalled from FLA Taxi Squad, F Brett Connolly loaned to FLA Taxi Squad, F Noel Acciari activated from IR, F Anthony Duclair and D Noah Juulsen placed on IR, F Logan Hutsko agreed to terms on a 2-year entry-level contract (starting 2021-22).

FLA-CAR CONNECTIONS

FLA forward Eetu Luostarinen was selected by CAR in the second round (42^nd 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 (64^th 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 Jamie McGinn played 95 games (2017-18 to 2018-19) for FLA, producing 36 points (17-19-36).
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 (307)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (465)
2. Aleksander Barkov (163)	2. Aleksander Barkov (270)	2. Aleksander Barkov (433)
3. Jonathan Huberdeau (158)	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)

PANTHERS LEADERS

Games Played: 10 Players (23)

Goals: Huberdeau (10)

Assists: Huberdeau/Barkov (18)

Points: Huberdeau (28)

Power-Play Goals: Hornqvist/Ekblad (5)

Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (12)

Shorthanded Goals: –

Shorthanded Points: –

Shots: Barkov (84)

PIM: Yandle (24)
+/-: Gudas (+12)

Faceoff Win % (Min. 100 faceoffs): Barkov (51.4)

Blocked Shots: Weegar (26)

Hits: Gudas (111)

TOI/GP: Ekblad (25:12)

PP TOI/GP: Yandle (3:45)

SH TOI/GP: Acciari (2:37)

Wins: Bobrovsky (8)

Shutouts: –

ACTIVE STREAKS

Goal Streak Ekblad (2 Games, 3 Goals), Huberdeau (2 Games, 2 Goals)

Assist Streak Barkov (4 Games, 6 Assists), Ekblad (2 Games, 3 Assists), Yandle (2 Games, 3 Assists), Huberdeau (2 Games, 2 Assists), Hornqvist (2 Games, 2 Assists)

Point Streak Barkov (5 Games, 1-6-7), Ekblad (2 Games, 3-3-6), Huberdeau (2 Games, 2-2-4), Yandle (2 Games, 0-3-3), Hornqvist (2 Games, 0-2-2)