Blackhawks Game Day Preview: No rest for the weary, as the Panthers come calling

Chicago Blackhawks (6-12-1, 13 pts) vs Florida Panthers (12-6-1, 25 pts)
7:30 pm CT – United Center
TV: ESPN+/Hulu (Monaco/Ferraro/Kaplan)
Radio: 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

The Chicago Blackhawks have a tall task tonight as they welcome in the Florida Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions. They want to bounce back after blowing a 2-1 third-period lead to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Panthers just split a home-and-home series against the Winnipeg Jets, where they won 5-0 on home ice and dropped the rematch up north 6-3 on Tuesday.

Neither team held a morning skate today, but from yesterday’s line rushes, it looks like Philipp Kurashev will be scratched for the second time this season. Of all the Blackhawks who have underachieved to start the season, he is at the top of the list. Kurashev has taken an enormous step backward, with only three goals and four points in 18 games after setting career-highs in every offensive category last season. He’s not helping out defensively either, as his minus-16 rating is the lowest on the team.

Related Article – How much longer can Chicago afford to stash Frank Nazar in Rockford?

Tonight’s game includes two stars on opposite ends of the spectrum. Connor Bedard did have two assists the last time out, but he’s without a goal in his previous 10 games. Bedard scored two goals the last time these two teams met. His linemate Jason Dickinson had the other tally in a 4-3 loss. Meanwhile, Panthers forward Sam Reinhart is making an early-season case for the Hart Trophy. He is on an 11-game point streak in which he’s scored nine goals and 17 points.

Season Series

11/21 vs FLA
2/1 @ FLA

Quotables

“I thought we were really good, all of us, in the first period; unfortunately, we fell off the tracks in the second period. We lost composure in the D-zone, and that’s too much D-zone time. Then, all we did was flip pucks and change the rest of the way. That gave them the momentum. I liked it when we had the puck offensively. Unfortunately, for the second half of the game, it wasn’t very much.”

Luke Richardson on Tuesday’s game versus the Ducks

“It’s by committee, for sure. It’s giving the young guys more reps. That’s very useful down the road. Sometimes, it’s tough learning because we don’t have a veteran to pair off with the young guys. But that’s just what you’ve got, so you roll with it. You make the most of it.”

Richardson on the defense without Seth Jones.

“We want to make sure he keeps growing, and he’s that confident guy when he gets here, and it continues instead of maybe taking a step back in this league.”

Richardson on Frank Nazar

Blackhawks Team Leaders

G-Ryan Donato (8)
A-Connor Bedard (12)
P-Connor Bedard (15)
PPG-Teuvo Teravainen/Tyler Bertuzzi (3)
SOG-Bedard (55)
PIM-Pat Maroon (26)

Panthers Team Leaders

G-Sam Reinhart (14)
A-Reinhart (15)
P-Reinhart (29)
PPG-Reinhart (4)
SOG-Carter Verhaeghe (69)
PIM-A.J. Greer (34)

Blackhawks Team Stats

GF/G-2.32 (31^st)
GA/G-3.11 (16^th)
PP%-19.6 (16^th)
PK%-78.5 (19^th)
SOG/G-26.6 (28^th)
SA/G-30.6 (27^th)
FO%-45.7 (29^th)
PIM/G-8:12 (13^h)

Panthers Team Stats

GF/G-3.58 (6^th)
GA/G-3.26 (22^nd)
PP%-23.7 (8^th)
PK%-82.5 (10^th)
SOG/G-29.7 (15^th)
SA/G-28.2 (10^th)
FO%-46.4 (28^th)
PIM/G-11:00 (30^th)

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards
Connor Bedard-Jason Dickinson-Joey Anderson
Tyler Bertuzzi-Nick Foligno-Ilya Mikheyev
Taylor Hall-Ryan Donato-Teuvo Teravainen
Pat Maroon-Lukas Reichel-Craig Smith

Defensemen
Alex Vlasic-Connor Murphy
T.J. Brodie-Alec Martinez
Wyatt Kaiser-Nolan Allan

Scratched:
F-Philipp Kurashev, D-Louis Crevier

Injured:
G-Laurent Brossoit (knee), D-Seth Jones (foot)

Panthers Probable Lines

Forwards
Evan Rodrigues-Aleksander Barkov-Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe-Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen-Anton Lundell-Jesper Boqvist
A.J. Greer-Tomas Nosek-Jonah Gadjovich

Defensemen
Gustav Forsling-Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola-Dmitry Kulikov
Nate Schmidt-Uvis Balinskis

Scratched
F-Mackie Samoskevich, D-Adam Boqvist

Injured
F-Will Lockwood (undisclosed)

Goaltending Matchup

Petr Mrazek (5-8-0, .906 SV%, 2.79 GAA, 0 SO) vs Sergei Bobrovsky (9-4-1, .893 SV%, 2.89 GAA, 1 SO)

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