Florida Panthers News

Kulikov has been out since November 29th but will likely replace Sami Niku or Anthony Bitetto on the third pair on Thursday. He has one goal and three assists in 25 games this season.

Mikkola, who has two goals and nine assists (11 points) in 30 AHL games this season. The 23-year-old will replace Colton Parayko, who is still dealing with an upper-body injury.

Markstrom allowed one goal on 37 shots in the Canucks win over the Rangers on Saturday. Markstrom continues his red-hot stretch of play, winning six straight starts while posting a 2.49 GAA and .932 SV%. As good as he has been, that run may come to an end in Tampa Bay. The Lightning are cooking right now, having won seven in a row while averaging 4.14 goals per game.

Mikkola was a fifth-round pick of the Blues in n2015 and this is his first career call-up. The 23-year-old Finnish defenseman has registered two goals and nine assists (11 points) in 30 games this season, his second professional season in North America.

Lafferty will come out of the Penguins lineup on Saturday due to an illness, so Thomas Di Pauli will make his NHL debut in Montreal.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 51 shots in the Canucks win over the Kings last Saturday. It was a fantastic game for Markstrom, who has won four straight while posting a 2.24 GAA and .941 SV%. He has gone 7-5-2 with a 2.48 GAA, .924 SV% and one shutout on home-ice this year but will face a Chicago team that is heating up, winning five of their last six with 3.83 goals per game.

Ekblad missed last night's game vs. the Red Wings but will play tonight vs. the Canadiens. Ekblad has played very well recently, posting eight assists in his last eight games.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Canucks 4-2 win over the Oilers on Monday. Markstrom followed up his three-game losing streak with a three-game winning streak, stopping 94 of the 101 shots (.931 SV%) that he has faced. Markstrom has gone 2-0-0 with a 2.51 GAA and .921 SV% in his first two starts against Los Angeles this season.

Markstrom allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Canucks 4-2 win over the Oilers on Monday. Markstrom followed up his three-game losing streak with a three-game winning streak, stopping 94 of the 101 shots (.931 SV%) that he has faced. Markstrom has gone 2-0-0 with a 2.51 GAA and .921 SV% in his first two starts against Los Angeles this season.

Ekblad was forced to leave Monday's game in Tampa Bay and was not on the ice when the Panthers reconvened for practice after the Christmas break. Ekblad, who has six assists in his last five games, will sit out the weekend back-to-back but head coach Joel Quenneville expects to "see on the road trip."

Both Gudas and Michal Kempny are battling illness, so Christian Djoos was called up from the AHL in case one or both of them miss tonight's game vs. the Blue Jackets.

Markstrom allowed three goals on 30 shots in the Canucks' loss to the Canadiens on Tuesday. Markstrom posted an impressive 43-save shutout last Thursday but has since lost three in a row while allowing a combined 10 goals on 94 shots (.894 SV%). One of those losses came against the Golden Knights, who he'll face again tonight--he gave up five goals on 39 shots in a 6-3 loss.

Bennett missed the last 13 games with a lower-body injury but will play tonight vs. the Penguins. Bennett, who has just three goals and two assists (five points) in 20 games this season, will skate on the fourth-line with Tobias Rieder and Michael Frolik.