CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks secured a 3-1 victory against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, with Petr Mrazek making 31 saves and Teuvo Teravainen contributing a goal. This win allowed Chicago to break a three-game losing streak, elevating their home record to 3-5-0 for the current season.
Mrazek made his return to the lineup after being absent for Tuesday’s narrow 3-2 defeat to the Panthers due to a personal issue. For Florida, Sam Reinhart managed to net his 15th goal, although they have now lost four of their last five contests. Spencer Knight was in goal for the Panthers, stopping 17 shots.
Teravainen set the tone for Chicago early in the game, scoring a power-play goal just 2:46 into the first period, marking only his second score in his last 17 games. Craig Smith added a second goal for the Blackhawks, converting a breakaway opportunity at 10:07 into the second period with a crafty backhand shot—this being his fifth goal of the season.
Reinhart quickly responded for Florida, scoring 34 seconds after Smith to cut the deficit, beating a muddled Mrazek for his fourth goal in five outings. As Florida pressed for an equalizer in the closing moments, Nick Foligno would seal the game for Chicago with an empty-net goal at the one-minute mark.
Takeaways from the night include the Panthers missing significant scoring chances, while the Blackhawks exhibited the fight their head coach Luke Richardson emphasized following their previous loss, particularly during the game’s closing stages.
A pivotal moment occurred when Chicago defenseman Wyatt Kaiser was penalized for delay of game 12:22 into the third period. Nonetheless, the Blackhawks successfully killed off the penalty, while Florida went scoreless on their two power play opportunities.
Notably, Foligno has an impressive record against the Panthers with 10 goals and 14 assists in his career. Looking ahead, the Panthers will kick off a three-game homestand against Colorado on Saturday night, while the Blackhawks prepare for an away game against Philadelphia on the same day.