The Florida Panthers and the Chicago Blackhawks meet on the ice for an afternoon matchup, with both squads looking to bounce back from recent defeats. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET and will be broadcast across several networks, including CHSN, SCRIPPS, SN, and TVAS. Both teams held practice sessions in Chicago on Saturday to prepare for the contest.
The Panthers enter the matchup with a 5-4-2 record, looking to rebound from a 4-0 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. Headed into Sunday’s game, Florida’s projected forward lines feature Brady Tkachuk centering Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk on the top unit. The second line pairs Sandis Vilmanis alongside Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, while Lars Eller centers Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell on the third line. The fourth line is projected to feature Bokondji Imama, Cole Schwindt, and Garnet Hathaway.
On defense, the Panthers’ pairings are slated to feature Gustav Forsling with Aaron Ekblad, Niko Mikkola alongside Seth Jones, and Dmitry Kulikov paired with Radko Gudas. In the crease, Akira Schmid is projected to get the start for Florida. Cooper Black made 18 saves against Pittsburgh in his NHL debut during the team’s previous outing.
Florida’s lineup adjustments include the anticipated returns of Sandis Vilmanis and Radko Gudas, both of whom were scratched for Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Uvis Balinskis and Cole Reinhardt remain as healthy scratches. The Panthers continue to manage a notable injury list that includes Jacob Markstrom dealing with an upper-body injury, Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand both recovering from knee issues, and Jonah Gadjovich sidelined with a neck injury.
On the other side, the Chicago Blackhawks hold a 3-7-0 record and are aiming to turn things around following a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Chicago’s projected forward combinations place Roman Kantserov alongside Connor Bedard and Patrick Kane on the top line. The second unit features Tyler Bertuzzi, Anton Frondell, and Jordan Greenway, while Teuvo Teravainen centers Frank Nazar and Ryan Donato on the third line. The fourth line is projected to comprise Cole Smith, Ryan Greene, and Andrew Mangiapane.
Chicago’s defensive pairs are expected to feature Alex Vlasic with Ian Cole, Wyatt Kaiser alongside Artyom Levshunov, and Kevin Korchinski paired with Sam Rinzel. Arvid Soderblom is a candidate to start in goal for the Blackhawks, which would give Spencer Knight a rest after starting the team’s past five consecutive games.
The Blackhawks could see a reinforcement in their lineup with Andrew Mangiapane. Activated off injured reserve on Friday, Mangiapane was scratched for the Montreal game and may make his first appearance since the team’s season opener. Ethan Del Mastro and Oliver Moore are listed as healthy scratches for Chicago. On the injury front, defenseman Bowen Byram skated in a non-contact jersey on Saturday after missing the team’s previous three consecutive games due to an upper-body injury.
