"Neither rain, sleet or especially an all-day snowstorm that caused their team bus to be late and the game against the Blackhawks to be delayed for 30 minutes could stop three eager Panthers from returning to action after long injury-related absences.

The Panthers, nearing full strength for the first time in two months, started three forwards, Scottie Upshall, Jack Skille and Sean Bergenheim, who had been out for the past 30, 13 and 12 games respectively.

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen, who finally has healthy options to either bench or start deserving players chose to sit out a slumping Mike Santorelli and a banged-up Matt Bradley (bruised eye), to try to inject energy into a tailspinning team that has dropped nine of their last 12 games.

"It's like getting guys called up from the AHL,'' Dineen said after morning skate. "It helps so much with energy and that kind of enthusiasm. It's important as we push to that long [All-Star] break we'll have starting next week."