Panthers Face Utah Hockey Club in Historic NHL Matchup

The Florida Panthers will face the Utah Hockey Club for the first time in NHL history on Wednesday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The Panthers, currently second in the Atlantic Division with a 24-15-2 record, are looking to rebound from a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. Utah, the NHL’s newest team, is struggling with a 17-15-7 record and has lost six of its last seven games.

Florida’s offense has been inconsistent recently, scoring only four goals in their last three games. Carter Verhaeghe, who scored the lone goal against Colorado, is one of five Panthers with double-digit goals this season. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been a bright spot, allowing two or fewer goals in four of his last six starts.

Defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola, who missed recent games due to injuries, participated in morning skates and are game-time decisions. “I think they both had good morning skates here today,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. “We’ll put them out there for warmups, and our hope is that they both play.”

Utah, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, is led by Clayton Keller, who has 39 points this season. Former Panther Kevin Stenlund, who played a key role in Florida’s Stanley Cup victory last season, will face his old team for the first time. Stenlund received his championship ring during a private dinner with former teammates on Tuesday.

“Stenny’s the best,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “Miss him a ton. He was such a crucial part for our team. He was only there a year, but he became super tight with a bunch of us.”

The Panthers rank fifth in the NHL with a 53.86 expected goals-for percentage at 5-on-5, while Utah is trying to find consistency in its first season in Salt Lake City. The game will be broadcast nationally on TNT, truTV, and Max, with puck drop scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.