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Weiss, Anderson help Panthers blank Blackhawks

Sep 21, 2007 - 3:34 AM By Rory Spears PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The second game of the Chicago Blackhawks' four-game preseason homestand showed the team still is lacking offensively.

Stephen Weiss scored the lone goal and Craig Anderson posted the shutout as the Florida Panthers skated to a 1-0 victory over the Blackhawks on Thursday.

One day after an impressive victory in Columbus to open the preseason, the Blackhawks dropped their home opener vs. the Blue Jackets, 4-3, on Wednesday.

The worst part of that game was the fact the Blackhawks lost promising rookie center Jonathan Toews for two to three weeks with a broken index finger. Chicago is hoping for Toews to return for its regular-season home opener on October 6 against Detroit.

Playing their third game in three nights, the Blackhawks looked flat against the Panthers.

After two scoreless periods, the game's only goal came on a short backhander from the slot by Weiss at 12:54 of the third. Weiss split defensemen Brent Seabrook and Jordan Hendry before flipping the loose puck past goaltender Corey Crawford and just inside the right goalpost.

The Panthers received four consecutive power plays in the first period, including three in the first 8 1/2 minutes. However, Florida managed just six shots on goal, with none coming from close range.

Former Chicago netminder Anderson had an easy first period, facing just two shots. But he needed to make 23 saves in the middle session and 13 more in the third to preserve the shutout.

Florida was shorthanded twice early in the second period. The Blackhawks could not sustain solid pressure, but by the end of both penalties, they had been awarded a whopping 16 shots on goal.

Chicago finished with a total of 23 for the period.

The Panthers, playing their fourth game in five nights, also failed to mount much offense. After recording only 13 shots in two periods, they tried to open things up in the third.

Captain Olli Jokinen had onen of Florida's best chances nine minutes into the period. Moving in from the left side of the net, the Finn fired a wrist shot that forced Crawford to make a good glove save.