RECAP: Blackhawks Fall to Panthers, 5-2

The Blackhawks went toe-to-toe with the Eastern Conference-leading Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon, but fell 5-2 in the first meeting of the season with their south Florida foes, including a pair of empty netters late by the visitors.
Patrick Kane and Caleb Jones each found the net in the loss, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 stops in the loss.

POSTGAME LINKS
GAMECENTER: CHI vs. FLA
ANALYSIS: Blackhawks Can't Stop High-Powered Panthers
HIGHLIGHTS: Blackhawks vs. Panthers
GALLERY: Blackhawks vs. Panthers
BLACKHAWK OF THE GAME: Kane tallied a goal and an assist on the night to lead Chicago's offense.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Kane took sole possession of second all-time in franchise assists with his 720th career helper on the Caleb Jones tally in the third, passing Denis Savard's 719. Only Stan Mikita has more assists in Blackhawks history at 926.
UP NEXT: The Blackhawks host the New Jersey Devils on Friday evening at the United Center.

GAME RECAP

CHI: 0, FLA: 1

1st - 16:33 - Aaron Ekblad (Sam Reinhart, Mason Marchment)

The Panthers, held to just two shots on goal through the opening 16 minutes of the period, made the most of their third off their first sustained offensive zone stretch with under four minutes to play in the frame. Mason Marchment at the point worked a puck to Sam Reinhart in the corner, who then found Aaron Ekblad sneaking down the weak side from the point. The blueliner put a one-timer into the open half of the net behind Marc-Andre Fleury for a 1-0 lead.

CHI: 1, FLA: 1

1st - 19:28 - Patrick Kane (Jake McCabe)

The Blackhawks answered late in the frame off a forecheck to win the puck back in the offensive zone. Jake McCabe stripped Sam Reinhart of the puck with a stick check on a breakout attempt at the blue line, sending the puck bouncing into the corner in the process. Patrick Kane picked up the loose change along the wall and threw a shot towards the net from below the goal line, redirecting off the skate of Sergei Bobrovsky and inside the post for a 1-1 scoreline.

CHI: 1, FLA: 2

2nd - 7:26 - Brandon Montour (Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau)

Florida regained the lead early in the second as Brandon Montour walked over the blue line and put a shot from distance towards goal, using a pair of Blackhawks as a screen in front. Marc-Andre Fleury never saw the shot through traffic as it went into the top corner blocker-side for a 2-1 advantage.

CHI: 1, FLA: 3

3rd - 0:50 - MacKenzie Weegar (Carter Verhaeghe)

The visitors made it 3-1 in the opening minute of the third off a play in the offensive zone corner as Carter Verhaeghe walked out of a scrum with the puck and slipped a pass to MacKenzie Weegar in the slot. Weegar's shot in tight deflected off the stick of Kirby Dach's poke check attempt and over the pad of Marc-Andre Fleury for a two-goal lead.

CHI: 2, FLA: 3

3rd - 12:38 - Caleb Jones (Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane)

Chicago pulled back within a goal as a third-period power play expired when Alex DeBrincat brough the puck into the zone and found Caleb Jones on the weak side wall with a cross-slot feed. The younger Jones slid a shot under the leg of Sergei Bobrovsky for a 3-2 score with just under eight minutes to play.

CHI: 2, FLA: 4

3rd - 18:12 - Aleksander Barkov -- EN

With Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench for the late extra attacker, Aleksander Barkov found the empty net for a 4-2 lead.

CHI: 2, FLA: 5

3rd - 18:51 - Anton Lundell -- EN

Anton Lundell added a second empty netter a short time to make it a 5-2 final score.