Barkov, Rodrigues ‘Game Time Decision’ for Panthers at Colorado

The Florida Panthers may have both captain Sasha Barkov and top-line winger Evan Rodrigues in the lineup when they visit the Colorado Avalanche today at 4 p.m.

Barkov was knocked out of Thursday’s 4-1 win in Vegas after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face from defenseman Alec Martinez.

Rodrigues also left Thursday’s game after blocking a shot; he briefly returned in the first period before leaving for good.

According to team radio voice Doug Plagens, coach Paul Maurice said both would be game-time decisions.

UPDATE: Both were in the starting lineup for the Panthers.

“We are confident they are both going to play today,’’ Maurice said. “They came off their injury feeling well. We still have to put them on the ice; we didn’t skate yesterday. We want to get a little more healing time, but we think they are both in tonight.”

Mackie Samoskevich or Steven Lorentz were scratched.

Samoskevich was recalled from AHL Charlotte on Friday; Lorentz has been scratched in the previous six games.

As far as starting goalies go, Sergei Bobrovsky will be back in net for the Panthers while Alexandar Georgiev was expected to start for the Avs.

Instead, Ivan Prosvetov led Colorado out.

Bobrovsky has won five straight starts and six of his past seven. In his wins, Bobrovsky is allowing an average of 1.7 goals.

He has allowed one goal in each of his first two games on this road trip.

Coming Sunday in FHN: Bobrovsky Having Time of His Life with Panthers 

Today’s game features two of the top teams in the NHL.

Florida comes in riding a season-long six-game winning streak; Colorado has won four straight and is on a seven-game point streak (6-0-1) dating to Dec. 21.

Colorado is a point behind Winnipeg for the top spot in both the NHL and Central Division standings with 53 points.

The Panthers have 50 and are two points back of Boston for first place in the Atlantic.

ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ COLORADO AVALANCHE

• When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
• Where: Ball Arena, Denver
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Local Odds — Avs Favored: Money Line (-135); Puck line (-1.5, +175); Over/Under 6.5 (+100/-120)
• Last Season: Split 1-1
• This Season — At Colorado: Saturday. At Florida: Feb. 10.
• All-time Regular Season Series: Colorado leads 27-12-5, 3 ties
• Postseason Series: Colorado d. Florida 4-0, 1996 Stanley Cup Final
• Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (24-12-2) LINES

17 Evan Rodrigues // 16 Sasha Barkov // 13 Sam Reinhart

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 9 Sam Bennett // 19 Matthew Tkachuk

27 Eetu Luostarinen // 15 Anton Lundell // 94 Ryan Lomberg

12 Jonah Gadjovich // 82 Kevin Stenlund // 67 Will Lockwood

42 Gus Forsling // 5 Aaron Ekblad

77 Niko Mikkola // 62 Brandon Montour

91 Oliver Ekman-Larsson // 7 Dmitry Kulikov

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

41 Anthony Stolarz

Scratched: Josh Mahura, Steven Lorentz, Mackie Samoskevich

Injured: Nick Cousins (IR-concussion)

PROJECTED COLORADO AVALANCHE (25-11-3) LINES

27 Jonathan Drouin / 29 Nathan MacKinnon // 96 Mikko Rantanen

28 Miles Wood // 12 Ryan Johansen // 13 Valeri Nichushkin

59 Ben Meyers // 20 Ross Colton // 25 Logan O’Connor

11 Andrew Cogliano // 22 Fredrik Olofsson // 94 Joel Kiviranta

7 Devon Toews // 8 Cale Makar

49 Samuel Girard // 42 Josh Manson

3 Jack Johnson // 82 Caleb Jones

50 Ivan Prosvetov

40 Alexandar Georgiev

Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid

Injured: Artturi Lehkonen (upper body), Bowen Byram (lower body)

Colorado lines courtesy NHL.com