Panthers at Avalanche: Lines, Goalies, How to Watch

The Florida Panthers are expected to have Toby Bjornfot in the lineup tonight when they play the Colorado Avalanche.

Bjornfot, who played in one game with the Panthers after being claimed off waivers at the trade deadline last season, was called up from AHL Charlotte on Monday.

The Panthers may be without Aaron Ekblad and/or Niko Mikkola tonight.

Although Mikkola took part in Monday’s morning skate in Denver, Ekblad did not.

He did work out on his own afterward.

“We don’t think this is long-term, and I don’t think Mikkola plays tonight,” Paul Maurice said. “We’ll make a decision on Aaron when he gets off the ice and we’ll talk to the medical people. If not, Tobias is up and the last game he played for us was a hell of a game for us … we’ll be alright.”

The Panthers are opening a two-game road run tonight against the Avalanche before visiting Utah for the first time on Wednesday.

NOTES: PANTHERS @ AVALANCHE

• Nate Schmidt plays in his 700th NHL game tonight. “Hope I have a lot of games left,’’ he said. “It feels like the legs still have it in them, and what a test it is coming in here against a hot team. This is always a fun environment here.’’
• Starting Goalies: Florida will go with Sergei Bobrovsky tonight. The Avalanche will start Mackenzie Blackwood — whose final game with the San Jose Sharks was a fantastic effort against the Panthers in Sunrise. Blackwood gave up three goals on 54 shots in a 3-1 loss.
• How to Watch: Today’s game is on local television and will be streamed on Panthers+ locally and ESPN+ nationally.
• NHL Betting Odds: The Avalanche are favorites (-120) at the local book. To win with the Panthers, a $100 bet pays $110.

ON DECK: GAME No. 41

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT COLORADO AVALANCHE 

• When: Monday, 9 p.m.
• Where: Ball Arena, Denver
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FTM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Betting Odds — Avalanche Favored: Money Line (-130); Puck line (-1.5, +170); Over/Under 6 (-120/+100)
• Last Season: Panthers Won 2-0
• This Season (Avs Lead 1-0) — At Colorado: Monday. At Florida: Avs 7, Panthers 4 (Nov. 23).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Colorado leads 28-14-5, 3 ties
• Postseason Series: Colorado d. Florida 4-0, 1996 Stanley Cup Final
• Up Next for the Panthers: Wednesday at Utah, 10 p.m.

PROJECTED FLORIDA PANTHERS (24-14-2) LINES

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

27 Eetu Luostarinen // 9 Sam Bennett // 19 Matthew Tkachuk

23 Carter Verhaeghe // 15 Anton Lundell // 70 Jesper Boqvist

10 AJ Greer // 94 Tomas Nosek // 25 Mackie Samoskevich

42 Gus Forsling // 7 Dmitry Kulikov

88 Nate Schmidt // 26 Uvis Balinskis

2 Toby Bjornfot // 34 Adam Boqvist

72 Sergei Bobrovsky

30 Spencer Knight

Scratched: None

Injured: Niko Mikkola (upper body), Aaron Ekblad (general body), Jonah Gadjovich (upper body)

PROJECTED COLORADO AVALANCHE (24-15-1) LINES

62 Artturi Lehkonen // 29 Nathan MacKinnon // 96 Mikko Rantanen

20 Ross Colton // 37 Casey Mittelstadt // 27 Jonathan Drouin

94 Joel Kiviranta // 17 Parker Kelly // 25 Logan O’Connor

48 Tye Felhaber // 16 Juuso Parsinen // 22 Jere Innala

7 Devon Toews // 8 Cale Makar

49 Samuel Girard // 42 Josh Manson

67 Keaton Middleton // 70 Sam Malinski

39 Mackenzie Blackwood

50 Trent Miner

Scratched: Calvin de Haan

Injured: Scott Wedgewood (lower body), Valeri Nichushkin (lower body), Ivan Ivan (upper body), Oliver Kylington (upper body), Miles Wood (upper body), Gabriel Landeskog (knee), Tucker Poolman (head)