Blackhawks overwhelm
Panthers’ D turns in subpar game in 4-1 loss
SUNRISE — During the Florida Panthers’ 4-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night, the intermissions served as a refuge. The dressing room was a retreat from the ice, from the missed assignment and the bouncing pucks and shot barrage and the Blackhawks onslaught. But the 18 minutes that bridged the periods couldn’t save the Panthers.
Instead, the Panthers suffered through a performance that welcomed the return of a subpar defense that plagued the club earlier this month. Chicago scored in a variety of ways: on whiffed clearing attempts, by being gifted extra time and by suddenly shaky goalie play.
Florida allowed 39 shots on goal to Chicago as four different Blackhawks lit the lamp. Jared McCann tallied the sole Panthers goal on a sharp wrist shot from the high slot in the second period. It was Florida’s third loss in the last four games.
Roberto Luongo’s hot streak ended decidedly, allowing four goals but making 35 saves. He entered the game with a save percentage of .944 since returning from a right hand injury seven games ago.
The Panthers slumbered through the first period. The Blackhawks chose to dominate. Chicago attempted 30 shots, managing 21 on goal in the first period. Florida had just nine, aided in part by a power play at the end of the period. Brandon Saad had seven shots on goal in the period, matching the Panthers’ total.
Chicago forward John Hayden got Chicago on the board first with a shot from the slot that beat Luongo over his left shoulder. Tommy Wingels tried a wraparound that rolled through Derek MacKenzie’s attempted clear and into Hayden’s waiting stick.
Saad tallied a goal of his own five minutes later, at 14:35, on a feed from Jonathan Toews. Toews retreated to the corner of the offensive zone as Panthers forward Connor Brickley abandoned him. Brickley offered Toews space. He didn’t turn it down.
McCann stemmed the Blackhaws tide with a laser past Chicago’s Corey Crawford just 66 seconds into the second period. It was part of a Panthers revival in the second period that saw 10 shots on goal in about five minutes. But it didn’t last long.
Patrick Kane slipped a shot past Luongo six minutes later. This time, it was Nick Bjugstad who deserted the puck and presented Kane with more time.
Then Toews embarrassed Luongo. Armed with a one-handed swinging stick and a bouncing puck, Toews added to the Panthers’ misery. From the right circle, Toews flailed at the puck on his backhand, just barely making contact with it. It dribbled towards, then through Luongo.
That version of Luongo wasn’t commonly seen in the last month. He rebounded from a slow start to approach career-best numbers. He notched 45 saves against Carolina. He shut out San Jose. But that Luongo wasn’t at the BB&T Center on Saturday night.
Before the game, Panthers coach Bob Boughner stressed the need for a clean game against the Blackhawks.
“Obviously, a team that feeds off the rush and feeds off of turnovers and can make you pay for your mistakes,” Boughner said. “We got to play a pretty disciplined game here. We got make sure that we’re taking care of our own end and solid without the puck tonight.”