Sandis Vilmanis has 1st 2-goal game, Panthers top Blackhawks 5-3 to cap homestand

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sandis Vilmanis achieved his first career 2-goal performance, as Sam Reinhart tallied one goal and two assists for the Florida Panthers in their 5-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Seth Jones, a former Panthers player, scored against his old team, while Carter Verhaeghe contributed a goal and an assist.

Vilmanis added two assists, bringing his point total to four. The Panthers improved to 9-0-1 when conceding three or fewer goals during the season. Reinhart's goal came as an empty-netter with 1:27 remaining in the game. Frank Nazar scored twice in the third period, while Roman Kantserov also found the back of the net for the Blackhawks.

Ethan Del Mastro secured two assists, marking his first points and multi-point game of the season. Connor Bedard recorded two assists. The Blackhawks are currently 1-6-1 in their last eight outings and gave up the final five goals in a 5-2 home loss to Colorado on Monday, falling behind 3-0 before Kantserov's goal. Vilmanis scored just four minutes into the game, and Verhaeghe's power-play goal, assisted by the Tkachuk brothers, put the Panthers ahead at the 12:29 mark.

Jones scored a hat-trick in the second, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead. Nazar scored a short-handed goal to narrow the Panthers' lead in the third. Vilmanis added his second goal with 8:59 left in the period, regaining the two-goal advantage. Nazar followed with his second goal with 3:51 left, but Reinhart's ninth goal of the season, coupled with Reinhart's ninth of the season, effectively ended the Blackhawks' comeback attempt.

The Panthers will face the Washington Capitals on Saturday, while the Blackhawks will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.