Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov was slow to get up Sunday after a big hit from Florida's Carter Verhaeghe late in the first period.
The Panthers were up 2-1 at that point, with a 12-6 edge in shots.
Watching a 20-year-old defenseman take his time getting up is like watching your teenager back the car out for the first time. Nobody breathes until it's over.
He has 3 points through 10 games this season.
His lone goal stood up as a game-winner, and 2 of his points have come over his last 5 games.
The Blackhawks can't afford to lose bodies on the back end. Bowen Byram is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and expected out until at least October 27.
So does Levshunov finish this one?
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Artyom Levshunov slow to get up after crushing Carter Verhaeghe hit
Verhaeghe came into Sunday with 6 goals through 11 games.
Two of those were game-winners. He's also scored twice on the power play.
Only Brady Tkachuk, with 7, has scored more for Florida.
At a $7,000,000 cap hit, the 31-year-old has been worth every cent so far.
The Panthers need it. Aleksander Barkov is on IR and expected out until at least November 27 with a lower-body injury.
Jacob Markstrom is out until at least November 4 too, and Akira Schmid's .867 save percentage isn't going to cut it.
Gustav Forsling is day-to-day with an upper-body injury as well, so Paul Maurice is patching holes all over the lineup.
Florida walked into Chicago on a two-game skid, outscored 9-1 in losses to Ottawa and Pittsburgh.
The Panthers head to Winnipeg Tuesday to open a home-and-home set with the Jets.
The Blackhawks entered the afternoon at 3-7-0, coming off a 4-1 loss to Montreal on Friday.
Spencer Knight's .888 save percentage hasn't slowed the goals against much, either.
Patrick Kane, meanwhile, is sitting at -13.
Jeff Blashill gets Los Angeles at home Tuesday, and his blue line can't spare anybody.
These teams meet again November 4 in Florida. The Blackhawks will have had 10 days to think about this one.
Was Carter Verhaeghe's hit on Artyom Levshunov a clean hockey play?
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