Jagr, Panthers Return To Action Against Visiting Jets
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SUNRISE (CBSMiami/AP) – After four days off, the Florida Panthers have to start making up some ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
While the Winnipeg Jets hope injuries won't hinder their postseason push, the Panthers could have their No. 1 goaltender back to help the team's quest to move into playoff position.
After missing two games with a shoulder injury, Roberto Luongo could be in net Thursday night against the visiting Jets.
Luongo and backup Al Montoya (groin) were both injured during a 3-2 home loss to Toronto on March 3, leaving AHL call-up Dan Ellis to man the net while Florida (29-23-14) went 1-0-1 against Dallas and the New York Islanders.
While Montoya is still out, Luongo might be ready.
"Hopefully by Thursday he'll be 100 percent, if not, close," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. "(Thursday) is the goal."
Though Ellis has posted a 2.77 goals-against average in the last two, the presence of Luongo could provide a boost for a team that's ninth in the Eastern Conference but six points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot.
"We all know how crucial it is this time of the year," said Luongo, who has a 1.84 goals-against average while going 4-1-2 in his last eight home starts. "That's why it's frustrating to be out of the lineup right now."
If back, Luongo must play better than he did while being pulled for yielding four goals on 20 shots during an 8-2 loss at Winnipeg (33-22-12) on Jan. 13.
Mathieu Perreault scored a career-high four goals and Dustin Byfuglien added two with an assist during the Jets' highest-scoring game in three seasons.
However, Perreault remains out with a lower-body injury suffered Feb. 16 and Byfuglien with an upper-body issue sustained in last Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Ottawa. Goal-leader Bryan Little (upper body), though, could return after sitting while Winnipeg split the first two of a four-game trip.
Owners of the West's last wild-card spot, the Jets try to rebound from Tuesday's 5-4 loss at St. Louis. Blake Wheeler had a goal with an assist and Michael Frolik scored in his third straight game as Winnipeg overcame a 4-1 deficit only to lose on Barret Jackman's go-ahead goal from near center ice with 1:03 left in regulation.
"That's hockey," Wheeler told the Jets' official website. "We didn't worry about the score; we wanted to go out and get back to our game. ... It was an opportunity for us to build some momentum going into Florida regardless of what the score ended up being."
Wheeler has recorded a goal with an assist three times in four games while ex-Panther Frolik has five and two assists during a career-high seven-game point streak. Frolik also has a goal with three assists in his last two versus Florida.
Teammate Michael Hutchinson made 25 saves against the Panthers in January, but could sit after being pulled for the second time in three starts for yielding four goals on seven shots Tuesday. Ondrej Pavelec has allowed one goal while replacing Hutchinson twice this month but owns a 3.34 GAA during a 3-5-3 starting stretch.
Winnipeg has totaled 25 goals to win four of five against the Panthers, but the 5-2 defeat during that stretch came in its last visit to Florida on Dec. 5, 2013.
Florida's Nick Bjugstad, who scored his team-leading 23rd goal during Saturday's 4-3 shootout win over the Islanders, has two with two assists in five games. He scored in two straight versus Winnipeg before being blanked in January.
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