Panthers Pregamer 4.17.21 at TBL

APRIL 17, 2021 at TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Amalie Arena | 7:00 P.M. ET
Television: 
Bally Sports Sun | DirecTV 653-1 | AT&T U-Verse 1723
Radio: 
560 WQAM| 640 WMEN | 100.3 WCTH | 107.9/1370 WZTA | SIRIUSXM APP/STREAMING 932

PANTHERS vs. LIGHTNING

ALL-TIME vs. TBL: 68-48-10-17

ALL-TIME ROAD vs. TBL: 28-32-6-7

2020-21 vs. TBL: 2-2-1


TEAM STATS

 FLORIDA (27-12-5)TAMPA BAY (29-12-2)
GOALS FOR137 (9th most)145 (3rd most)
GOALS AGAINST118 (13th fewest)109 (7th fewest)
POWER PLAY %21.7 (12th)25.6 (5th)
PENALTY KILL %79.7 (15th)83.1 (8th)
SHOTS FOR PER-GAME34.0 (2nd most)30.2 (9th most)
SHOTS AGAINST PER-GAME30.1 (16th fewest)28.5 (9th fewest)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %52.0 (T-9th)52.3 (T-6th)
FACEOFF WIN %50.2 (T-13th)49.6 (19th)


CATS STATS

  • Panthers Captain Aleksander Barkov has produced five goals and seven points (5-2-7) over his last seven games since returning from injury. Since returning to the lineup for Florida on April 3 vs. CBJ, Barkov owns a 58.0 faceoff win percentage. The 25-year-old native of Tampere, Finland, leads FLA in goals (18) and shots on goal (133), while ranking tied for first on the club in points (44) and ranking second on FLA in assists (26), even-strength goals (13) and even-strength points (30).
  • Barkov owns a team-best 54.2 faceoff win percentage and 59.3 5v5 shot attempt percentage, while averaging 21:16 TOI per game, the most among all FLA forwards. He is two goals shy of his sixth consecutive season with at least 20 goals.
  • Jonathan Huberdeau ranks tied for first on FLA in points (44), while ranking first on the club in assists (30) and power-play points (18). He has registered an assist in each of his last two games (0-2-2). With an assist on April 15 at TBL, Huberdeau notched his 26th career even-strength point against TBL, tying Olli Jokinen (26) for the most even-strength points recorded by a Panthers player against TBL in franchise history. Reaching his 30th assist of the season in the game, Huberdeau recorded his sixth career season and fourth consecutive season with at least 30 assists.
  • Anthony Duclair has registered two points (1-1-2) over each of his two games since returning to the lineup on April 13 at DAL, after missing six games due to injury. Duclair has produced four points (2-2-4) over his last four games played. The 2020 NHL All-Star has produced 17 of his 18 points this season at even-strength and owns a +11 rating, the fourth-highest on FLA and third-highest among FLA forwards.
  • Frank Vatrano has produced six points (4-2-6) over his last eight games. The 27-year-old native of East Longmeadow, Mass., registered his third OT game-winning goal of the season on April 13 at DAL, joining Olli Jokinen (4 – 2005-06, 3 – 2003-04) and Mike Hoffman (3 – 2018-19) as the only Panthers players to notch at least three OT-winners in a single season in club history. Vatrano leads the Cats with five game-winning goals this season. Vatrano ranks tied for third on FLA in goals (14), while ranking third in even-strength goals (12).
  • MacKenzie Weegar enters tonight’s game with five points (1-4-5) over his past seven games. The native of Ottawa, Ontario, ranks tied for second among NHL defensemen this season in even-strength points (23) and ranks third in takeaways (28). His +18 rating ranks second on FLA and tied for eighth among all NHL defensemen, while leading FLA in blocked shots (58) and ranking second in hits (99).
  • Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a 10-5-1 record over his last 16 appearances, owning a .921 even-strength save percentage. After being honored in a pregame ceremony on April 3 vs. CBJ for his 500th NHL game, Sergei Bobrovsky registered a season-high 44 saves for his third consecutive win. His 44 saves were the second-most he has recorded in a game in a Panthers uniform. He is seven wins shy of his 300th NHL win, joining Evgeni Nabokov (353) and Nikolai Khabibulin (333) as only the third Russian-born goaltender to earn 300 wins in the NHL.
  • Chris Driedger owns a 5-2-1 mark over his past seven starts, earning wins in four of his last six appearances. Over the eight-game span since March 20, Driedger has posted a .939 save percentage, 1.62 goals against average and two shutouts. His save percentage and goals against average over his last eight starts ranks second among all goaltenders (min: 8 GP) since March 20.
  • Patric Hornqvist leads FLA with seven power play goals and ranks fourth on the Panthers with 29 points (12-17-29). Hornqvist tallied his 13th goal of the season on April 15 at TBL. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion ranks second on Florida in shots (135), while ranking second among FLA forwards in hits (72). Hornqvist is one point shy of his eighth consecutive season with at least 30 points.
  • Brandon Montour made his FLA debut on April 15 at TBL, posting a +2 rating and logging 17:59 TOI. 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).
  • 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.
  • Nikita Gusev made his FLA debut on April 15 at TBL, posting three shots on goal. 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, KHL MVP 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. The native of Moscow, Russia, captured a Gold Medal with the Olympic Athletes from Russia in 2018 and led the Olympics in scoring (4-8-12).
  • Lucas Wallmark appeared in his season debut with FLA on April 15 at TBL. Acquired from CHI on April 8, Wallmark appeared in seven games with the Panthers in 2019-20, notching two points (1-1-2) and played in two 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifier games with the Cats.
  • Radko Gudas leads all NHL defensemen in hits and ranks second in the league overall (195), averaging 4.53 hits per game and ranks second on FLA in blocked shots (55). He tallied his first goal with FLA on April 13 at DAL. The native of Prague, Czech Republic, is one assist shy of his 100th NHL assist.


RECENT TRANSACTIONS
– April 15: D Brandon Montour, D Noah Juulsen activated to active roster
– April 13: F Sam Bennett, F Nikita Gusev added to active roster, F Anthony Duclair activated from IR, F Lucas Wallmark, G Spencer Knight

recalled from Taxi Squad, D Kevin Connauton loaned to Taxi Squad
– 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)

FLA-TBL CONNECTIONS

  • FLA defenseman Radko Gudas was selected by TBL in the third round (66th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 126 games for TBL (2012-13 to 2014-15), producing 32 pts (7-25-32).
  • FLA defenseman Anton Stralman played 355 games for TBL (2014-15 to 2018-19), amassing 130 points (29-101-130). Stralman went to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final with TBL, recording 10 points (1-9-10) over 26 games during the 2014-15 Stanley Cup playoffs.
  • FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe played 52 games for TBL (2019-20), notching 13 points (9-4-13). He won the 2020 Stanley Cup with TBL, producing two assists over eight postseason games.
  • FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky  (2013-14 to 2016-17), FLA forward Alex Wennberg (2014-15 to 2016-17) and FLA defenseman Markus Nutivaara (2016-17) were teammates with TBL goaltender Curtis McElhinney on CBJ.
  • FLA defenseman Anton Stralman was teammates with TBL defenseman Ryan McDonagh on NYR from 2011-12 to 2013-14, including an appearance in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
  • FLA goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
  • FLA defenseman Brandon Montour was teammates with TBL forwards Anthony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph on Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championships, earning Silver Medals.
  • FLA forward Nikita Gusev was teammates with TBL goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and TBL forward Nikita Kucherov on Team Russia at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Silver Medals.
  • TBL Head Coach Jon Cooper served as Assistant Coach on Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey which included FLA defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
  • FLA defenseman Anton Stralman and TBL defenseman Victor Hedman were teammates on Team Sweden at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, earning Gold Medals.
  • FLA forward Anthony Duclair and TBL forward Brayden Point were teammates on Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, earning Gold Medals.
  • FLA forward Carter Verhaeghe and TBL forward Gemel Smith share the hometown of Toronto, Ontario.
  • FLA forward Owen Tippett and TBL forward Mitchell Stephens are cousins and share the hometown of Peterborough, Ontario.
  • FLA forward Alex Wennberg and TBL defenseman Andreas Borgman share the hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.
  • FLA Senior Advisor to the General Manager Rick Dudley served as General Manager of TBL from 1999-00 to 2001-02.

CHASING FRANCHISE HISTORY

Franchise GoalsFranchise AssistsFranchise Points
1. Olli Jokinen (188)1. Jonathan Huberdeau (319)1. Jonathan Huberdeau (481)
2. Aleksander Barkov (173)2. Aleksander Barkov (278)2. Aleksander Barkov (451)
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)


PANTHERS LEADERS

Games Played: 5 Players (44)

Goals: Barkov (18)

Assists: Huberdeau (30)

Points: Barkov/Huberdeau (44)

Power-Play Goals: Hornqvist (7)

Power-Play Points: Huberdeau (18)

Shorthanded Goals: Barkov/Verhaeghe (1)

Shorthanded Points: Barkov/Acciari/Weegar/Verhaeghe (1)

Shots: Barkov (139)

PIM: Weegar (41)
+/-: Verhaeghe (+23)

Faceoff Win % (Min. 100 faceoffs): Barkov (54.2)

Blocked Shots: Acciari (59)

Hits: Gudas (195)

TOI/GP: Ekblad (25:05)

PP TOI/GP: Yandle (4:17)

SH TOI/GP: Acciari (2:45)

Wins: Bobrovsky (15)

Shutouts: Driedger (2)

ACTIVE STREAKS

Goal Streak        None

Assist Streak      Nutivaara (2 Games, 3 Assists), Huberdeau (2 Games, 2 Assists)

Point Streak       Nutivaara (2 Games, 0-3-3), Duclair (2 Games, 1-1-2), Huberdeau (2 Games, 0-2-2)