Sandis Vilmanis has 1st 2-goal game, Panthers top Blackhawks 5-3 to cap
homestand
[November 05, 2026]
By TIM REYNOLDS
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sandis Vilmanis had the first
two-goal game of his career, Sam Reinhart provided a goal and two
assists, and the Florida Panthers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on
Wednesday night to wrap up a three-game homestand.
Seth Jones scored against his former team and Carter Verhaeghe had a
goal and an assist for the Panthers, who are 4-1-0 in their last five
games and 7-3-0 in their past 10. Vilmanis added two assists to finish
with four points. |
Florida Panthers left wing Brady Tkachuk (8) attempts a shot against
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight (30) during the second
period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla.
(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) |
|
Florida improved to 9-0-1 when allowing three goals or fewer
this season. Reinhart's goal was an empty-netter to seal the win
with 1:27 left.
Frank Nazar had two third-period goals and Roman Kantserov also
scored for Chicago. Ethan Del Mastro got two assists — his first
points of the season, and the first multi-point game of his
career. Connor Bedard had two assists.
The Blackhawks are 1-6-1 in their last eight games. They gave up
the final five goals in a 5-2 home loss to Colorado on Monday,
then got down 3-0 in Florida before Kantserov got Chicago on the
board.
By then, the Panthers were already in full control. Vilmanis
scored 4:43 into the game, and Verhaeghe’s power-play goal was
assisted by Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk at 12:29 of the
first.
Jones beat former Florida goalie Spencer Knight — they were
traded for one another in the deal that sent Jones to the
Panthers — for a 3-0 lead in the second.
Nazar beat Panthers goalie Jacob Markström on a short-handed
breakaway to cut Florida’s lead midway through the third.
Vilmanis struck again with 8:59 left, restoring the two-goal
edge. Nazar got his second of the game with 3:51 left, but
Reinhart scored his ninth of the season to all but end the
Blackhawks' comeback hopes.
Up next
Blackhawks: Visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Panthers: Visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
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