The Chicago Blackhawks (7-2-2) begin a two game in two night road trip in Miami on Thursday night when they skate with the Florida Panthers (6-4-1). The revamped Panthers come in second in the Southeast Division standings and 6th in the Eastern Conference. Former Hawks GM Dale Tallon had a busy offseason and is looking to build the Panthers into a force to be reckoned with much the same way he did in Chicago. Tallon has added former Hawks Kris Versteeg, Tomas Kopecky, Jack Skille, and Brian Campbell to the retooled roster. Campbell and Versteeg are tied for the team lead in points with 11, and Versteeg is also tied for the team lead in goals with 5. Florida comes in with the league’s 5th ranked power play and have scored 11 goals on the man advantage. The Hawks 3rd ranked penalty killing unit will have to be up to the task to shut down the potent Panthers power play. Corey Crawford should get the start in goal for the Hawks and expect Jose Theodore to be in net for the Panthers. Theodore comes in 4-2-1 with a 2.57 GAA and .913 save percentage. The teams split 2 games last season with both teams winning at home. Corey Crawford shut out the Panthers 4-0 at United Center and got the hook in a 3-2 loss in Miami. The Panthers come into tonight’s game 2-1-1 on home ice and the Blackhawks are 2-2-0 away from United Center. The Hawks and Panthers will meet again in January in Chicago. The Hawks will be without defenseman Duncan Keith who is day to day with a hand injury suffered against Nashville on Monday night. Mikael Samuelsson is out for Florida, and Tomas Kopecky is questionable with a knee injury. Dan Carcillo returns from a two game suspension for Chicago.
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