Florida Panthers News

Bennett has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but will be back on the third line on Thursday. Bennett has just one goal and one assist in nine games this season.

Ekblad was on the ice for the Panthers morning skate but did not come out for warmups. Ekblad is day-to-day with an illness, so look for him to be back in the lineup in Calgary on Thursday. Mark Pysyk will draw into the lineup for him tonight.

Markstrom stopped 38 of 40 shots in the Canucks 3-2 win in New York on Sunday. It was a nice return to the crease for Markstrom, who missed two games earlier in the week due to a personal matter. Markstrom is 1-2-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .923 SV% on the road this year. He is a must-start against a Red Wings team that the Canucks handled in Vancouver last Tuesday.

Bennett will miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury but the Flames are hopeful he will play Thursday vs. the Panthers. Even if he does play, the former No.3 overall pick should be left on free agency--he has just two points (1G / 1A) and is playing just 12:40 ATOI in nine games this season.

Markstrom stopped 38 of 40 shots in the Canucks 3-2 win in New York on Sunday. It was a nice return to the crease for Markstrom, who missed two games earlier in the week due to a personal matter. Markstrom is 1-2-0 with a 2.37 GAA and .923 SV% on the road this year. He is a must-start against a Red Wings team that the Canucks handled in Vancouver last Tuesday.

Barkov left Saturday's game in Nashville but is good-to-go for Tuesday's game. This is huge news for the Panthers, who could be without their second-line centre, Vincent Trocheck. Barkov is still looking for his first goal of the season, having recorded just six assists in his first eight games of the season.

Barkov played just 1:55 TOI before departing Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury. Early reports were that Barkov was day-to-day but the fact that he was on the ice on Monday suggests that the Panthers’ No.1 centre could be available for Tuesday’s game vs. the Penguins.

Markstrom missed two games to attend to a personal matter but was back on the ice on Friday. Thatcher Demko played very well in Markstrom's spot and the two will likely split the Canucks' back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.

Bjornfot was the Kings' first-round pick this summer and played in the first three games of the season but was a healthy scratch in the last four. It makes no sense to have an 18-year-old sitting in the press box, so they send him back to Ontario where he will log big minutes.

Markstrom is expected to rejoin the Canucks on their road-trip which begins on Thursday but for now, they will roll with Thatcher Demko as their starter and Zane McIntyre has been called up from Utica (AHL) to be the backup.

Markstrom has impressed despite posting a 1-2 record this season, registering a .922 SV% and a 2.38 GAA. He draws another difficult assignment tonight against the Flyers. Though they've played just two games, Philadelphia is averaging an even four goals and 36 shots per game to start the 2019-20 season.

Kulikov missed Tuesday’s game in Pittsburgh but is expected to replace Sami Niku in the lineup on Thursday. Kulikov has one goal and one assist while averaging 20:18 TOI/gm in three games this season.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Canucks loss in Calgary on Saturday. Markstrom has given up five goals on 51 shots (.902 SV%) through two starts and sits at 0-2-0 coming into Wednesday’s game. Tonight he faces a Kings team coming off of a win in Calgary last night—Markstrom was 2-0-1 with a 2.26 GAA and .918 SV% in three games vs. Los Angeles last year.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Canucks loss in Calgary on Saturday. Markstrom has given up five goals on 51 shots (.902 SV%) through two starts and sits at 0-2-0 coming into Wednesday’s game. Tonight he faces a Kings team coming off of a win in Calgary last night—Markstrom was 2-0-1 with a 2.26 GAA and .918 SV% in three games vs. Los Angeles last year.

Lafferty was a fourth-round pick of the Penguins back in 2014 and he is expected to make his NHL debut on Tuesday because Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad are out with lower-body injuries. Lafferty was held pointless in his first AHL game of this season but had 49 points (13G / 46A) in 70 games last year.

Kulikov has left the Winnipeg Jets to attend to a “personal family matter.” Josh Morrissey was back on the ice for Monday’s practice and took Kulikov’s spot. Sami Niku will also be recalled from Manitoba (AHL) to provide the Jets with blueline depth while Kulikov is away.

Markstrom had a rough start to the 2019-20 season, allowing three goals on 22 shots in the Canucks loss in Edmonton. His splits are always going to be mediocre but the Canucks offence should give him enough chances to win games. He was 3-2-0 with a 2.94 GAA and .917 SV% in five games vs. the Flames last season.

The 2018-19 season was a career-year for Markstrom, who set new career-highs in starts (60) and wins (28) while posting a 2.77 GAA and .912 SV%. Coming into 2019-20, the Canucks will lean heavily on Markstrom, who should start 60 games and could win 30 games for the first time. He was 2-0-1 with a 1.95 GAA and .929 SV% in three games vs. the Oilers last season.