Panthers Pregamer 4.13.21 at DAL

APRIL 13, 2021 at DALLAS STARS

Radio: 560 WQAM| 850 WFTL | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM APP/STREAMING 932

PANTHERS vs. STARS

ALL-TIME vs. DAL: 21-19-3-1

ALL-TIME ROAD vs. DAL: 11-8-2-0

2020-21 vs. DAL: 4-2-0

TEAM STATS

	FLORIDA (26-12-4)	DALLAS (15-14-10)
GOALS FOR	132 (T-9^th most)	110 (T-21^st most)
GOALS AGAINST	113 (13^thfewest)	98 (4^th fewest)
POWER PLAY %	22.1 (12^th)	25.2 (5^th)
PENALTY KILL %	79.7 (15^th)	78.5 (18^th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME	34.0 (2^ndmost)	29.4 (T-23^rd most)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME	30.5 (16^thfewest)	27.4 (2^nd fewest)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	52.1 (8^th)	51.8 (10^th)
FACEOFF WIN %	50.2 (T-14^th)	50.2 (T-14^th)

CATS STATS

Florida enters tonight’s matchup with a 4-2-0 record against the Stars this season. Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe lead FLA with three goals against the Stars in 2020-21. Verhaeghe’s five points vs. DAL (3-2-5) is tied with Jonathan Huberdeau (2-3-5) for the Cats’ most points against the Stars in the season series. Over 18 career games vs. DAL, Sergei Bobrovsky owns a 15-2-1 record, .938 save percentage and 1.98 goals against average. He has posted two wins this season and owns a 9-1-0 record over his last 10 games against DAL. Chris Driedger owns a a 2-1-0 record and .952 SV% over three games vs. DAL.
Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov has produced four goals and six points (4-2-6) over his last five games since returning from injury. Since returning to the lineup for Florida on April 3 vs. CBJ, Barkov owns a 59.8 faceoff win percentage. Barkov’s 17th goal of the season on April 10 at DAL, marked his 450th NHL point. The 25-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, leads Florida in points (43) and shots on goal (127), while tied for first on the club in goals (17) and game-winning goals (4). He ranks second on FLA in even-strength goals (12) and even-strength points (29). Barkov owns a team-best 54.2 faceoff win percentage and 59.7 5v5 shot attempt percentage, while averaging 21:11 TOI per game, the most among all FLA forwards. He is three goals shy of his sixth consecutive season with at least 20 goals.
Carter Verhaeghe enters tonight’s game with 11 points (5-6-11) over his last nine games. Over the nine-game span, Verhaeghe has registered four multi-point efforts. He produced a career-high four points on March 27 at DAL, scoring a hat trick consisting of an even-strength goal, power-play goal and shorthanded goal. The 2020 Stanley Cup Champion leads the Cats with 32 even-strength points. He ranks seventh in the NHL for even-strength points, while tied for third in the NHL in even-strength goals (15). Verhaeghe’s +23 rating stands tied for third in the NHL and tied for first among all forwards.
Jonathan Huberdeau ranks second on FLA in points (42), while ranking first on the club in assists (28) and power-play points (18). Florida’s franchise leader in assists (317) and points (479) has played the third-most games in a Panthers uniform in franchise history.
MacKenzie Weegar enters tonight’s game with five points (1-4-5) over his past five games. The native of Ottawa, Ontario, ranks tied for first among NHL defensemen this season in even-strength points (23) and ranks second in takeaways (28). His +20 rating ranks second on FLA and third among all NHL defensemen, while standing at second on FLA in blocked shots (52) and hits (97). Weegar’s 24 points and 21 assists are career-bests.
Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a 10-5-1 record over his last 16 appearances. Over that span, Bobrovsky owns a .916 save percentage, tied for the sixth-highest among goaltenders who have made at least 15 appearances since Feb. 25.
The Panthers acquired forward Sam Bennett from CGY on April 12. The 24-year-old native of Holland Landing, Ontario recorded 12 points (4-8-12) over 38 games this season, all at even strength, and he ranked third on CGY with 79 hits. Over his past six seasons with CGY, Bennett amassed a team-leading 678 hits and logged 169 blocked shots, the second-most by a CGY forward since 2015-16. Bennett produced a team-leading five goals and tied for the club lead in points (8) over 10 playoff games with CGY in 2020.
Acquired on April 10, Brandon Montour led all BUF defensemen in goals (5), even-strength points (11), shorthanded points (2), while leading the team in blocked shots (53) and total even-strength time on ice (704:51). Prior to his trade, Montour produced two points (1-1-2) over his last three games played.
Newly signed forward Nikita Gusev ranked second on NJD in points, recording 44 points (13-31-44) in 66 games during 2019-20, while leading the team in assists (31) and even-strength points (29). A four-time KHL All-Star and 2017 Gagarin Cup Champion, Gusev led the KHL in scoring during the 2018-19 season, posting 82 points (17-65-82) over 62 games. Named the KHL’s Most Valuable Player in 2017-18, Gusev led the league in assists over each of his last two seasons in Russia.
Frank Vatrano has produced five points (3-2-5) over his last six games. Vatrano’s 12 even-strength tallies ranks tied for second on FLA and stands at third on the club with 120 shots on goal. Tied for the team-lead in game-winning goals (4), Vatrano has tallied a team-best eight goals in the third period this season.
Since March 30, Gustav Forsling has logged 145:50 TOI, the second-most on the Panthers while tied for the highest average SH-TOI (2:33). Forsling’s +8 rating on the season ranks second among FLA defensemen. His three goals are tied for his career-high in a season.
Patric Hornqvist has produced three assists over his last five games since returning from injury. He leads FLA with seven power play goals and ranks fourth on the Panthers with 28 points (12-16-28). The two-time Stanley Cup Champion ranks second on Florida in shots (125), while ranking second among FLA forwards in hits (70). Hornqvist tied his season-high for hits in a game (6) on April 6 at CAR.
Chris Driedger has produced two shutouts over his past six games and has won three of his past four starts. Over his past six games (since March 20), he owns a 4-2-0 record, .952 save percentage and 1.34 goals against average. His .930 save percentage this season ranks tied for first among goaltenders that have played at least 18 games.
Radko Gudas leads all NHL defensemen in hits and ranks second in the league overall (190), averaging 4.63 hits per game and ranks tied for first on FLA with Noel Acciari in blocked shots (53). The native of Prague, Czech Republic, is one assist shy of his 100th NHL assist.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– April 12: F Sam Bennett and 2022 6th round pick acquired from CGY in exchange for F Emil Heineman and a 2022 2nd round pick

– April 11: F Nikita Gusev signed to a 1-year contract

– April 10: D Brandon Montour acquired from BUF in exchange for 2021 3rd round pick, D Kevin Connauton recalled from Taxi Squad, D Brady Keeper

loaned to Taxi Squad
– April 8: D Brady Keeper, G Spencer Knight recalled from FLA Taxi Squad | D Lucas Carlsson, F Lucas Wallmark acquired from CHI in exchange for F Brett Connolly, D Riley Stillman, RFA rights F Henrik Borgstrom, 2021 7th round pick
– April 5: F Mason Marchment re-signed to a 1-year contract extension, D Vladislav Kolyachonok reassigned from Minsk (KHL) to Syracuse (AHL)
– April 3: F Patric Hornqvist activated from IR, D Matt Kiersted recalled from FLA Taxi Squad, G Spencer Knight assigned to FLA Taxi Squad
– April 2: F Brad Morrison acquired from CHI in exchange for F Vinnie Hinostroza

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 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 (317)	1. Jonathan Huberdeau (479)
2. Aleksander Barkov (172)	2. Aleksander Barkov (278)	2. Aleksander Barkov (450)
3. Jonathan Huberdeau (162)	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)