The Panthers had, shall we say, an interesting third period on Tuesday night. The ultimate overtime loss was certainly a disappointment but at least they got a point for their trouble. The challenge will be harder tonight, as the Panthers enter the United Center in Chicago to take on the Defending Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks.
The Numbers
[table id=TS02G07 /] [table id=IS02G07 /] [table id=GM02G07 /]* – Stats are courtesy of War-on-Ice.com, Puckalytics.com and Hockey-Reference.com
Projected Lineups
[table id=PRPF02G06 /] [table id=PRPD02G06 /] [table id=PRPG02G06 /] [table id=PROF02G07 /] [table id=PROD02G07 /] [table id=PROG02G07 /]The Rundown
It all started as a nice turnaround period to an otherwise tepid outing. Then all hell broke loose in the 3rd period Tuesday night. First, it was the bizarre no goal that was a goal but then wasn’t a goal and no one told anyone until after an inconclusive review. Then it was Phil Kessel proving life isn’t fair by scoring the 2-0 goal, followed by the 4th line of Connor Brickley, Derek MacKenzie, and Quinton Howden taking the game back with two goals. Cap it off with a chintzy call on Jonathan Huberdeau late in the 3rd, which led to the winning goal, and you have yourself a nice turd sandwich.
But enough about last game. Tonight, the Panthers will need to bring their ‘A’ game. We already know the 4th line is bringing theirs, contributing all of the offense last game and displaying a high level of energy in their appearances so far. They’re also do a good job of balancing shot generation and suppression, clocking in at about even and being the 2nd best line at shot suppression behind the excellent Huberdeau-Barkov-Jagr line.
Speaking of Huberdeau-Barkov-Jagr, they aren’t just the Panthers best line, they’re one of the best in the league. Take a look at who appears among the best names in Don’t Tell Me About Heart’s On-Ice xG ranking:
https://twitter.com/DTMAboutHeart/status/657227205353807872
(If you are unfamiliar with xG, here’s an explaination. tl;dr version: it has a better correlation to future scoring than Corsi)
What the Panthers need is for their 2nd and 3rd lines to kick it up a notch. Get those lines kicking along with what the 1st and 4th are already doing, and you have a formidable force.
As for the other guys, the biggest news is the recent loss of Duncan Keith to knee surgery. He will be out 4-6 weeks following his surgery and it appears David Rundblad will draw into the lineup, paired with Trevor Daley on the 3rd pairing.
There are also a ton of new faces on the Blackhawks. In addition to Trevor Daley, the Blackhawks have 6’8″ Swedish defenseman Viktor Svedberg on the blueline. He will pair with defenseman Brent Seabrook, as he did for last Saturday’s game against Columbus.
However, the most notable new faces on the Blackhawks are a pair of Russian forwards in Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin. The Russian duo have combined with Patrick Kane, and the results have been strong early on. Anisimov has been a good complement at center, and chipped in two goals and one assist. The NHL veteran has brought the consistent 2nd line center presence this team has been starved for over the last several years.
The fireworks belong to Panarin and Kane though, who co-lead the Blackhawks with seven points a piece. Panarin was an off season signing from the KHL, it appears he is acclimating just fine to the North American game. He is shifty with the puck, hard to remove from it, and has deadly great passing skills. He is nearly as dynamic as his right wing linemate.
However, the rest of the team is not firing at the same level as that line. Should the Panthers find a way to shut down that force, and get more from their middle two lines. They stand a good chance at taking advantage.
Closing Thoughts
In light of the situation that has embroiled tonight’s opponent this summer, here is a reminder to donate to #CatsForACause. We’re raising money for RAINN, and we’re looking to reach $3,000 this season. So far, we have raised $732. If you wish to donate, follow the link here.
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