Florida Panthers goaltender James Reimer will start in the third game of a five-game road trip. Reimer held the Anaheim Ducks to one goal on Feb. 3 in a 2-1 victory at BB&T Center, and won in relief in a 6-5 overtime victory at the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, after starter Roberto Luongo left with cramps after San Jose scored the tying goal with 37.4 seconds left in regulation. Luongo took part in the morning skate and will back up against the Anaheim Ducks. The Panthers, three points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, have scored 13 goals in their past two games. Their offense has gotten a spark from forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov; Huberdeau has seven points (three goals, four assists) in a four-game point streak after missing the first 51 games of this season following Achilles surgery, and Barkov has six points (four goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak after missing 15 games because of a back injury. Coach Tom Rowe said the Panthers need to be better in their own zone; they've allowed four or more goals in four of their past five games, including 15 in their past three. "We're not going to be a run-and-gun team," Rowe said. "We need to realize, going into the playoffs, when you're playing playoff teams, you have to play a real stingy two-way hockey game, so that's what we're striving to do." Defenseman Keith Yandle is two points from 400 in his NHL career.
