Panthers Fight-Filled Win Overshadowed by Injuries

Who would have guessed that the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens would have so much bad blood between them?

Tempers Rise and Players Fall, In Panthers’ Barnburner Win vs the Canadiens

After 60 minutes of hockey was completed, there were a total of 90 penalty minutes given out to go along with three fights.

Not sure this is the rivalry fans asked for but it’s the one they’re getting.

It all started when Montreal’s Mike Matheson used a reverse hit on Eric Staal that sent Staal to the quiet room and ended his night. More on that later.

The Panthers took exception to the hit and the two teams took turns taking runs at each other.

We saw big hit after big hit, along with multiple fights and scuffles. And in the midst of all the brouhaha, the Panthers poured in five quick goals to secure the two points.

The Canadiens essentially gifted the second period to the Cats after their parade to the penalty box resulted in conceding four power play goals. The Habs did score two in the third but Ryan Lomberg‘s sixth of the year later that period put to bed any hope for a comeback.

The Panthers have now outscored the Canadiens 13-4 in their two meetings this season.

The win also gave the Panthers their sixth win in nine games and points in four straight games.

This current streak has helped propel the Panthers’ chances at making the playoffs (a jump from 23% on Jan.8 to 54% today –per moneypuck.com).

But these two points have come at a cost.

As mentioned earlier, Eric Staal was injured from the Matheson hit, and, although no official word yet, it’s suspected he may have suffered a concussion.

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky also left the game early. At 2:01 in the first period, without having faced a single shot yet, the Russian netminder left the ice with a lower-body injury. 

The Panthers have battled through the injury bug all season. And now, in the midst of their playoff push, they will need to find a way to remain hot while battling it for a little longer. 

Breaking Down Implications of Bobrovsky Injury

These two injuries have serious implications on the roster should either player be out for an extended period. 

However, we won’t know too much for another day. After the win against the Canadiens, Paul Maurice informed the media, “We’ll just get (Bob) looked at tomorrow, we’ll get him rested, Staal too. I’ll give you something Saturday.”

So for now, we speculate. And with that, let’s start with Bobrovsky. 

This injury has some interesting layers to it, depending on the severity. 

First Layer, Not That Serious

The best case scenario is Bob just tweaked something and decided to sit out for precautionary reasons. There was no need to push himself through it in that game. In fact, it was as ideal a time a team could have in making a goaltender switch. The game was only two minutes in, so backup goalie, Alex Lyon, was still fresh from warm-ups. 

There was also the added benefit that the Panthers were playing the Canadiens and not a team at the top of the league.

So it’s entirely plausible Bobrovsky was just uncomfortable and didn’t want to risk injuring it any further when he felt his team was in good hands with Lyon.

Now, if it is serious, we have to look at the next layer. 

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Second Layer, Lyon Gets Expanded Role

Spencer Knight is already on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. And as of today, there is no timetable for his return. This means that Lyon would be thrust into the starting netminder role.

Lyon, an undrafted goaltender who was signed by the Panthers in the offseason, hasn’t started a game since January of 2022. 

Now, he has made a living as a professional by always being ready. He has continually bounced back and forth between the AHL and NHL since entering the league in 2016. But this is crunch time for the Panthers and a lot will be expected of him if he is to take the torch for an extended period of time.

And if Lyon stumbles in the starting role, the Panthers will likely be relying on Mack Guzda.

For those unfamiliar with the name, Guzda has been backing up Lyon with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL.

Guzda was also undrafted but signed an ELC with the Panthers last February after a successful campaign with the Barrie Colts of the OHL.

The towering netminder stands at 6-foot-5 and has shown promise early in his professional career. He currently boasts a 2.72 GAA and .908 SV% through 16 games played with the Checkers.

But putting your season in the balance of two “unproven” goaltenders is mildly concerning, to say the least.

Third Layer, Zito Goes Shopping

Now the third layer is one that would be extreme, but it could work out in the Panthers’ favor, should Knight be able to get back to the lineup quickly.

Before we go any further, losing Bobrovsky is not ideal, obviously. But if Knight can get back, then there is a silver lining should Bob be out for a long time.

If this injury is serious and requires Bobrovsky to be shelved on the LTIR, that would free up 10 million dollars in cap space for GM Bill Zito. Immediately that frees up space to bring back Patric Hornqvist and Anthony Duclair when they are ready to return.

And it would give Zito deep pockets to go shopping at the trade deadline.

But until we know more, let’s hold off on speculating this idea any further, should this be the case.

That’ll be a whole other article in itself if Bob hits the LTIR.

Staal Injury Leaves Hole In Bottom Six

Looking at Eric Staal, it’s tough to gauge how long his absence will be from the lineup. Head injuries are finicky, and something that doesn’t look too serious could very well be something of great concern.

Losing the veteran Staal would leave a gaping hole at centre for the team’s bottom six group.

Staal has been one of the Panthers’ best-producing players during the last two months of play. After going pointless in October and November, the former second-overall pick put up eight points in December and six points in January thus far.

He has also been strong in the face-off dot, averaging 50% in his draws since December 1.

Staal is also averaging 2:29 a night on the penalty kill and boasts a team-best 5.4 GA/60 on the PK.

Maurice uses his veteran in a lot of key situations and a prolonged absence will require another Panther to elevate their play immensely.

Colin White could be a choice to help fill the role. He has been a healthy scratch the last couple of games but was a strong centreman for the team in the early goings of the season.

The team may also look at calling up Chris Tierney from the Charlotte Checkers. The 28-year-old centre has skated in five games with the big club this season, putting up two goals and an assist. He spent a little bit of time on the team’s penalty kill unit, so he could potentially provide some relief there as well.

Up Next

There are a few options the Panthers could explore should either player miss extended time. But neither fix will completely fill the hole that Bobrovsky or Staal leave behind. The veteran player’s re-emergence has been a catalyst in the Panthers turning their season around.

Let’s hope that both injuries are not serious and both players are back in time for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.