Blackhawks Edge Panthers

     The Florida Panthers were defeated by the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 at United Center on Tuesday night. The Panthers have lost three of their last four games. The Blackhawks were able to end a four-game losing streak. 

     Chicago(15-13-5) raced out to a 1-0 lead at the 6:24 mark of the first period. Connor Murphy advanced the puck from his own zone. Brandon Hagel brought it into the Panthers zone on the right side. He slid a cross-ice pass from the right circle to Dominik Kubalik and he scored on a snap shot from the low slot past Chris Driedger for his 11th goal this season. Kubalik extended his point streak up to six games.  It was the first point for Murphy in nine contests. 

     The Blackhawks made it 2-0 with 1:30 remaining in the first. Patrick Kane backhanded the puck from the left corner. Nikita Zadorov released a wrist shot from the left point and it was deflected in by Pius Suter from the top of the crease for his ninth goal of the season. It was Suter's first goal and first point in seven games while it was Zadorov's first point in the last 10 games. 

     In the second period, the Hawks got a power-play goal at 4:22. Carl Soderberg picked up his sixth goal of the campaign on assists from Kane and Alex DeBrincat. Kane is now third in the National Hockey League with 32 assists. 

     Florida(20-8-4) broke the shutout at the 8:53 mark. Owen Tippett pushed it ahead from the left wing to Noel Acciari at the left-circle dot. His backhand centering pass went to Anton Stralman and he snapped a shot from the inner edge of the right circle by Kevin Lankinen for his third tally this year. It was the first goal for Stralman since February 25 against the Dallas Stars. 

     The Panthers closed it to 3-2 on the man advantage with 4:38 left in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau put a forehand shot from the top right circle and it was tipped by Acciari in the slot area. Alex Wennberg got the puck on the right side of the crease and stuffed it in for his seventh goal of the year.