SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sandis Vilmanis had the first two-goal game of his career, Sam Reinhart provided a goal and two assists, and the Florida Panthers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Wednesday night to wrap up a three-game homestand.
Seth Jones scored against his former team and Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who are 4-1-0 in their last five games and 7-3-0 in their past 10. Vilmanis added two assists to finish with
four points.
Florida improved to 9-0-1 when allowing three goals or fewer this season. Reinhart's goal was an empty-netter to seal the win with 1:27 left.
Frank Nazar had two third-period goals and Roman Kantserov also scored for Chicago. Ethan Del Mastro got two assists — his first points of the season, and the first multi-point game of his career. Connor Bedard had two assists.
The Blackhawks are 1-6-1 in their last eight games. They gave up the final five goals in a 5-2 home loss to Colorado on Monday, then got down 3-0 in Florida before Kantserov got Chicago on the board.
By then, the Panthers were already in full control. Vilmanis scored 4:43 into the game, and Verhaeghe’s power-play goal was assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk at 12:29 of the first.
Jones beat former Florida goalie Spencer Knight — they were traded for one another in the deal that sent Jones to the Panthers — for a 3-0 lead in the second.
Nazar beat Panthers goalie Jacob Markström on a short-handed breakaway to cut Florida’s lead midway through the third.
Vilmanis struck again with 8:59 left, restoring the two-goal edge. Nazar got his second of the game with 3:51 left, but Reinhart scored his ninth of the season to all but end the Blackhawks' comeback hopes.
Blackhawks: Visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Panthers: Visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
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