The Chicago Blackhawks will begin life without superstar Patrick Kane when they visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday at BB&T Center for the finale of a home-and-home series.
Kane was placed on long-term injured reserve after suffering a broken left clavicle in Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Panthers. He underwent successful surgery Wednesday and will be out approximately 12 weeks.
[MORE: Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has surgery on fractured clavicle, out approximately 12 weeks]
Kane was cross checked into the boards by defenseman Alex Petrovic. Kane gingerly got up and skated off to the locker room. He did not return. The NHL will not be having a disciplinary hearing on Petrovic, who was sent to the box for a two-minute minor penalty.
Kane is tied for the league lead in points with 64 (27 goals, 37 assists). He has been the Blachkawks’ best and most consistent player all season.
Teuvo Teravainen was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday morning to take Kane’s roster spot.
Teravainen, 20, has six goals and 19 assists in 39 games with the IceHogs. He tallied two goals and two assists in 15 games with the Blackhawks when he was brought up in January to fill Kris Versteeg’s spot after he suffered a broken thumb.
[MORE: Projecting a Patrick Kane-less lineup for the Blackhawks]
Even with Kane’s injury in the back of their minds, the Blackhawks snapped a three-game slide when Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp each scored during the shootout. Kris Versteeg and Toews each lit the lamp in regulation for the Blackhawks, while Scott Darling was stellar in net with 34 saves and stopped both Florida skaters in the shootout for his sixth win this season.
The Blackhawks cancelled practice for this morning, so there are no projected lines for tonight’s game.
Starting netminder Corey Crawford, who is 0-2-1 in his last three outings, is expected to start. He is 3-1-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average against the Panthers in his career.
Opponent Breakdown: Florida Panthers
Florida begins a seven-game homestand tonight. They won the first two on their five-game road trip before dropping a 4-1 decision in Ottawa and 5-1 in Pittsburgh then mustered a point in Chicago.
The loss was the Panthers sixth straight in the series against the Blackhawks. Chicago has claimed the past two outings in Sunrise.
Jussi Jokinen and Vincent Trocheck each scored late third-period goals for Florida and Roberto Luongo stopped 36 shots in the loss Tuesday. Luongo is expected to start again tonight and is 15-11-3 with a 2.22 GAA in his career against Chicago.
Injury Report
Chicago: Johnny Oduya (upper-body), Patrick Kane (collarbone) and Tim Erixon (lower-body)
Florida: Dave Bolland (upper-body), Brandon Pirri (upper-body) and Willie Mitchell (upper-body)
Game Information
When: 6:30 p.m. CT
Where: BB&T Center
TV: CSN
Radio: WGN-720
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