The Panthers host the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and Paul Maurice's team needs to shake off Monday's 5-3 loss to Detroit.
That defeat ended a three-game winning streak. Florida sits at 8-5-2 with 18 points, 12th in the NHL and 5th in the Atlantic.
The underlying numbers are decent but not dominant. The Panthers have a goal differential of +3, a 6-4-0 mark over their last 10 games and a 3-2-0 record at home.
Chicago arrives in rough shape. The Blackhawks are 4-10-1, 31st in the NHL, with a -25 goal differential and an 0-5-1 record on the road.
They have lost three straight, the latest a 5-2 defeat to Colorado on Monday night. Every point matters in a crowded Atlantic, where Florida is fifth and can't afford to hand anything back.
Losing at home to the second-worst team in the league would be a bad look for a club with this much experience. Florida should win this game, and the loss to Detroit makes that a requirement more than a hope.
Milestones within reach for Florida's veterans
Several Panthers are close to career markers. Lars Eller is at 1,199 career games, so he reaches 1,200 the moment he plays Wednesday. He had an assist and three shots on goal against Detroit and carries a +7 rating into the game.
Dmitry Kulikov is one assist away from 200 in his career, sitting at 199. Radko Gudas is at 896 games and needs four more to reach 900.
Offensively, the Panthers leaning on Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones has been the story all month. Tkachuk leads the team with 21 points, built on 4 goals and 17 assists, while Jones has 18 points.
Brady Tkachuk has 16 points and 8 goals, and Brady Tkachuk's eight goals through 13 games remain a big reason Florida has stayed afloat. Sam Reinhart has 13 points, including 6 power-play goals, and he scored against Detroit after a three-game goal streak going into Monday.
Aleksander Barkov is the one milestone that has to wait. He is four assists shy of 500, sitting at 496, but he has played just 2 games this season. He is listed on injured reserve with a knee injury and expected to be out until at least Nov. 27.
Will the Panthers beat the Blackhawks on Wednesday?
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