The Florida Panthers hit the road to take on the Chicago Blackhawks in an interconference clash at the United Center. The Panthers, fresh off back-to-back wins including an overtime thriller against the Wild, look to extend their momentum against a rebuilding Blackhawks squad that’s shown grit but struggled for consistency. With Florida battling injuries to key players and Chicago aiming to leverage home ice, this matchup could hinge on special teams and goaltending depth. Expect a competitive game with potential for high-scoring bursts given both teams’ offensive capabilities.
Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 PM CT (7:00 PM ET)
Broadcast: Available on NHL Network, with live streaming on Fubo and ESPN+
Recent Team Forms
Both teams have had mixed results lately, with the Panthers relying on veteran leadership amid absences and the Blackhawks pushing top contenders to the limit.
Florida Panthers (Last 5 Games: 3-1-1):
Jan 24 at Minnesota Wild: W 4-3 (OT) – Brad Marchand scored twice, including the OT winner, in a comeback effort
Jan 23 vs. Winnipeg Jets: W 2-1 (SO) – Clutched a shootout victory for their fourth win in six games
Jan 19 vs. New York Rangers: L 1-5 – Struggled defensively in a lopsided loss
Jan 17 at San Jose Sharks: W 4-1 – Strong road win with balanced scoring
Jan 15 vs. Calgary Flames: L 1-3 – Tight defensive battle but fell short
Averaging 2.8 goals for and 2.6 against in their last five, with a 2-0-1 record in games decided by one goal. Power play at 18.2% efficiency recently.
Chicago Blackhawks (Last 5 Games: 2-2-1):
Jan 23 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: L 1-2 (SO) – Petr Mrazek made 30 saves in a five-round shootout loss
Jan 19 vs. Carolina Hurricanes: W 4-3 – Comeback win with multi-point games from young stars
Jan 17 vs. Boston Bruins: W 3-2 – Solid home victory against a strong opponent
Jan 15 vs. Calgary Flames: L 1-3 – Defensive lapses cost them
Jan 12 vs. Edmonton Oilers: L 2-4 – Competed but couldn’t contain the offense
Averaging 2.4 goals for and 2.8 against, with a 5-4-1 record in their last 10 overall
Home form is 3-2 in the last five, emphasizing physical play.
Injury Report and Suspensions
Florida Panthers: Significant absences continue to impact the lineup. Center Aleksander Barkov (knee) is out long-term, having missed 50 games
Forward Tomas Nosek (undisclosed) also out for 50 games. Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (upper body, post-surgery) sidelined until at least March, missing 48 games
Forward Jonah Gadjovich (undisclosed) out
Forward Matthew Tkachuk recently returned from surgery and is active
Goaltender Daniil Tarasov expected to start.
Chicago Blackhawks: Forward Teuvo Teravainen (upper body/back) is questionable but expected to return today
Forward Frank Nazar was activated from IR (upper body) on Jan 22 after missing 14 games and is available
No other major injuries reported. Goaltender Petr Mrazek likely to start after a strong showing vs. Tampa.
Key Player Matchups
This game showcases battles between offensive dynamos and defensive anchors, with youth vs. experience as a theme.
Matthew Tkachuk (Panthers F) vs. Connor Bedard (Blackhawks F): Tkachuk’s physicality and scoring touch (recent multi-point games) against Bedard’s elite shot and creativity – watch for power-play impacts.
Brad Marchand (Panthers F) vs. Seth Jones (Blackhawks D): Marchand’s hot streak (two goals vs. Wild) tests Jones’ shutdown ability in transition.
Sam Bennett (Panthers F) vs. Philipp Kurashev (Blackhawks F): Bennett’s grit in the middle meets Kurashev’s playmaking; key for faceoff wins and cycle play.
Daniil Tarasov (Panthers G) vs. Frank Nazar (Blackhawks F): Tarasov’s recent starts (.920 SV%) challenged by Nazar’s speed post-injury return.
Series History
The Panthers have dominated recent meetings, but the all-time series is competitive. Overall Head-to-Head: Chicago leads 30-28 in 58 games, with Florida scoring 179 goals to Chicago’s 179 (tied). Recent Games: Florida is 7-3-0 in the last 10, including a 3-2 win on Oct 7, 2025.
Longest streak: Chicago won 8 straight from 2011-2015. Games average 5.8 goals; 6 of last 10 decided by two goals or fewer. Florida is 5-1 in last six at United Center.
Betting Trends
Panthers: 25-25 ATS this season; under has hit in 28 of 50 games (56%). As favorites, 18-9-2, covering 62% on the road. Strong against Central Division foes (8-3 ATS), but 2-4 ATS when playing on one day’s rest
Power play ranks 15th at 20.5%, penalty kill 82.1%.
Blackhawks: 24-27 ATS; over in 26 of 51 games (51%). At home, 12-13-3 ATS, but 3-2 ATS in last five. 1-4 straight up in last five, yet 14-8 ATS as underdogs
Penalty kill at 78.9%, struggling against top offenses.
Series Trends: Florida 6-4 ATS in last 10 vs. Chicago; over 5.5 goals in 7 of 10. Home team 4-6 in recent matchups.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers – 130
Chicago Blackhawks 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, January 24, 2026
