SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers celebrated mostly dry parking lots and Star Wars NIght with a bounceback win over the Chicago Blackhawks thanks in part to a breakout game from Sandis Vilmanis on Wednesday.
It did not come easy, however.
Panthers lines: projected lineup and starting goalie →
The Panthers scored the first three goals of the night and took care of the Blackhawks with a 5-3 win.
Florida had a 3-0 lead before the Blackhawks closed to within a goal twice in the third.
Florida, coming off a loss to the Red Wings, have won seven of 10 and head back on the road for three games starting Saturday in Washington.
Vilmanis not only had his first multi-point game in his NHL career but scored twice in the win — including in the third to boost Florida’s lead back to two.
Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and assisted on another, with Sam Reinhart scoring an empty-net goal while having two assists.
Seth Jones scored on Spencer Knight — whom Florida gave up for the defenseman in 2025 — with Jacob Markstrom making 18 saves.
Jones has 19 points off three goals in his first 16 games of the season.
NOTES: BLACKHAWKS AT PANTHERS
Sam Reinhart recorded his 202nd assist with the Panthers to pass Keith Yandle for eighth place on the franchise’s all-time list. Reinhart also became the fastest player to 400 career points in 401 games with Panthers, besting the previous mark set by Sasha Barkov (465).
With his empty-net goal, Reinhart tied Jonathan Huberdeau (198) for second in Panthers history.
Verhaeghe had a hand in the first two goals Wednesday, his 43rd career multi-point period with the Panthers – one more than Reinhart for fifth-most in franchise history. Barkov has 100 of them.
Vilmanis had the first multi-point game of his short NHL career with two goals and two assists. He came into the game with a goal and two assists in 14 games this season.
Niko Mikkola left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Paul Maurice said Mikkola, who returned for a single shift midway through the third, was OK.
GOALS OF THE GAME
Panthers 1, Blackhawks 0 (4:43 1st): After Teuvo Teravainen lost the puck in the neutral zone, Florida came up on the rush with Sam Reinhart slicing a slick feed to a charging Sandis Vilmanis for the initial lead.
Panthers 2, Blackhawks 0 (12:29 1st PP): Matthew Tkachuk gets things going by sending a pass to Brady Tkachuk in front of the net. Brady then sends a between-the-skates pass to a waiting Carter Verhaeghe who pops it over Spencer Knight.
Panthers 3, Blackhawks 0 (13:20 2nd): Vilmanis sends a sharp cross-ice pass over to a waiting Seth Jones who beats trade-pal Knight with a one-timer.
Panthers 3, Blackhawks 1 (16:48 2nd): The Blackhawks forced a turnover with Ethan Del Mastro firing off a sharp-angled shot that Jacob Markstrom stopped — only Roman Kantserov was right in front for the rebound.
Panthers 3, Blackhawks 2 (9:31 3rd SH): Frank Nazar breaks out on a turnover, drives in and beats Markstrom with a backhander.
Panthers 4, Blackhawks 2 (11:01 3rd): The Panthers won the faceoff in the Chicago zone, but the Blackhawks could not clear it and Vilmanis grabbed the loose puck in the left circle and scored his second.
Panthers 4, Blackhawks 3 (16:09 3rd): Nazar got his second of the night, sending a long wrist shot over the stick of Markstrom.
Panthers 5, Blackhawks 3 (18:33 3rd EN): Reinhart ices it for the Panthers and gets a 3-point night.
FHN’S 3 STARS
1. Sandis Vilmanis, Panthers
2. Sam Reinhart, Panthers
3. Frank Nazar, Blackhawks
ON DECK: GAME No. 17
FLORIDA PANTHERS at WASHINGTON CAPITALS
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