FHN TODAY: Florida Panthers Have New Goalies for Wild

The Florida Panthers hoped they put their injury problems in the past, but on Friday, the team called up goalie Mack Guzda from AHL Charlotte with Sergei Bobrovsky hurt Thursday in Montreal.

Florida also sent Spencer Knight to Charlotte to get in a game or two; with Bobrovsky out, Guzda will back up Alex Lyon tonight against the Minnesota Wild.

When the Panthers took part in their early morning skate Saturday, Bobrovsky was not on the ice although he came out at the end to get some work in.

Which is obviously good news.

Lyon had only appeared in games with Charlotte after signing with the Panthers during the summer.

He was quickly pressed into service Thursday at 2:01 of the first period when Bobrovsky came out after sustaining some sort of lower-body injury.

While Thursday’s game was the 30th NHL game of Lyon’s career, Guzda has yet to make his NHL debut.

Guzda, 24, is in his first professional season and has gone 9-4-2 with the Checkers.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW

Lyon said he has learned how to prepare himself to be ready whenever the challenge came — and this is a big challenge for both him and Garza.

The Panthers will have their top two AHL goalies as their tandem on Saturday night against a Minnesota team which had a three-game winning streak halted in Carolina on Thursday.

— The NHL looks like it is doing things right with the All-Star Beach Festival which will be held on the sand over by Bahia Mar off A1A.

Not only can you get a picture with the Stanley Cup, but you can watch one of the Skills Competition events taping and cheer on your favorite players on the red carpet event.

— The Panthers had Friday off but we still have plenty of postgame reaction from Montreal on the FHN YouTube Channel including comments from Paul Maurice, Lyon and Ryan Lomberg.

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NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

With the NHL Trade Deadline still a few weeks away, there is going to be a lot of talk about where Bo Horvat ends up.

Sounds like the Colorado Avalanche could get into the mix.

— Mike Matheson got hit with a $5,000 fine for putting Eric Staal on IR with a hit that was clear interference and was missed by officials in the Panthers game against the Montreal Canadiens.

— Tyler Bertuzzi is out of the Detroit Red Wings lineup with a lower-body injury but is not expected to miss a lot of time.

— It certainly is not right what Vancouver is putting former Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau though these days.

— Without Mark Stone in the lineup, the Vegas Golden Knights have not been good.

— Rasmus Ristolainen has certainly upped his game with the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

PANTHERS ON DECK

MINNESOTA WILD AT FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• Last season: Florida won 2-0
• All-time regular season series: Minnesota leads 18-8-2, 1 tie
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.