The Brad Marchand Effect: Panthers Get Immediate Boost

A year ago, the Florida Panthers had no idea Brad Marchand would be joining their team.

Now, it seems they cannot do without him.

Marchand returned from a seven-game absence on Saturday night and gave the Panthers an instant surge of energy.

The 37-year-old picked up right where he left off, joining Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen on a line that was perhaps Florida’s best throughout the season.

Playing the high-octane Minnesota Wild, the Panthers needed everything they had to pull out a win.

The addition of Marchand was big in Florida’s 4-3 overtime win.

“He didn’t miss a beat,” Sam Bennett said. “He’s a big part of this team.”

No doubt.

With the score tied at 1 in the first, Marchand scored his 24th goal of the season by sending a backhanded shot through while on the power play.

Marchand was credited with an assist on Bennett’s game-tying goal in the third — then won it on a breakaway off some nice work by Carter Verhaeghe.

“It was great to be back with the guys,” Marchand said. “It was hard watching so it felt good to get back out there. We need the points right now, so, it was a big win for us.”

The Panthers certainly did need the win.

After losing to San Jose on Monday night in Sunrise, the Panthers embarked on an odd three-game road trip in which they would play three games in four days with stops in Winnipeg, Minnesota, and Chicago.

The Panthers play the Spencer Knight and the Blackhawks tonight.

With wins in the past two, the Panthers kept pace in the playoff race and are five points behind Boston for the final wild card spot.

Getting back players like Matthew Tkachuk and Marchand from injury is nothing but a shot in the arm for a Panthers team that has lost key players throughout the season.

“We just missed these guys so much this year,’’ Paul Maurice said. “You can see the difference. We have a really dangerous player, an elite player, on each line in the top 9.’’

ON DECK: GAME No. 51

FLORIDA PANTHERS at CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS  

• When: Sunday, 7 p.m.
• Where: United Center, Chicago
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
• Last Season: Tied 1-1
• This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 3, Blackhawks 2 (Oct. 7); At Chicago: Sunday
• All-time Regular Season Series: Blackhawks lead 30-21-4, 3 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday vs. Utah Mammoth, 7 p.m.