Panthers 4, Blackhawks 0
SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers broke a four-game losing streak, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 on Friday night at the BB&T Center.
Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo earned the win, beating Chicago backup Scott Darling. It was Luongo's 71st career shutout, breaking a tie for 11th place in NHL history.
Florida, which had been outscored 16-5 in the previous four games, got goals from right winger Reilly Smith, defenseman Brian Campbell, center Quinton Howden and defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
This was Florida's first win over Chicago since March 8, 2011, snapping a 0-5-3 streak.
The game was a battle between division leaders. The Panthers lead the Atlantic (27-15-5). Chicago (32-15-5), which has lost two games in a row, is on top in the Central.
Florida welcomed back Ekblad, last season's Rookie of the Year. He returned after missing four games due to a suspected concussion -- Florida went 0-3-1 without him.
Florida, with Smith getting his 50th career goal, opened the scoring with 9:41 left in the first period. Smith, skating on the left side, took a short pass from left winger Jussi Jokinen and beat Darling to the short side despite a tough angle.
With 2:42 left in the first period, Florida made it 2-0. Center Jonathan Huberdeau earned his 100th career assist when his pass went off the skate of Chicago right winger Marian Hossa, bouncing straight to Panthers center Aleksander Barkov. From there, Barkov fed Campbell in the slot for the goal.
Florida made it 3-0 on an unassisted goal with just 2.1 seconds left in the opening period. Howden scored very similarly to Smith -- from an angle on the left, getting the puck under Darling's right armpit.
Ekblad also scored unassisted. With 17:09 left in the second period, he took a turnover and blasted a shot past Darling.
NOTES: LW Jiri Sekac, acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, made his Chicago debut. ... RW Richard Panik, benched for Thursday's game after he overslept and missed the morning skate, returned to Chicago's lineup. ... Chicago and Florida had franchise-record 12-game win streaks end this month. Chicago's streak ended more recently -- on Thursday. ... Chicago G Corey Crawford had his personal nine-game win streak snapped on Thursday, and he rested on Friday. ... ... Florida placed D Willie Mitchell (lower body) on injured reserve and recalled D Dylan Olsen, 25, from the AHL's Portland Pirates. The earliest Mitchell can return is Tuesday. ... Panthers C Dave Bolland, whose last-minute goal won the 2013 Stanley Cup for the Blackhawks, hasn't played in over a month due to an ankle injury. ... Florida scratched Olsen and C Brandon Pirri, who has been the subject of trade talks. ... Chicago scratched D Michal Rozsival and LW Brandon Mashinter.