Colby Guy
Ever since the Florida Panthers brought Spencer Knight up from a monthlong stint with the AHL Charlotte Checkers back in March, the rookie goalie has seemingly found his rhythm.
Prior to being sent down, Knight started the season with a 9-6-2 record. His outlying numbers were not eye-popping: He had a save percentage of .898, with a goals-against average of 3.32.
Knight, who turns 21 on the 19th, was not seeing the ice much during the opening half of the season, either.
Sergei Bobrovsky started 37 of Florida’s 56 games prior to Knight’s return to the roster, going 26-6-3 with a .915/2.63 during that span.
With Knight not getting as many looks, Florida decided to send him down to Charlotte so he could get more game action.
“It definitely helped me,” Knight said.
“Practicing is one thing, but I kind of drive myself crazy when I’m practicing too much. I’m kind of overthinking it, whereas when you’re playing, you’re just playing and that’s what I love to do.”
Knight played in nine games during his first — and, perhaps only — long AHL stint of his career, going 7-2 with two shutouts.
“I just like to play games and that’s why I’m here,” he said. “It was nice to mix in some games with a good group in Charlotte.”
Since his long stay with the Checkers on Mar. 7, Knight’s numbers improved to 8-2-1 with a .921/2.19.
“My comfort level with him has been the same all year,” Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said.
“He’s an extremely talented and very mature goaltender for his age that seems to get better every time you play him.”
With Bobrovsky hitting a rough patch, he has gained a lot more responsibility in the Florida crease.
In the month of April, Bobrovsky is 1-0-0 with a .787/.6.40 and allowed 13 goals on 61 shots.
Knight has been brought off the bench to relieve Bobrovsky in two out of his past three starts.
Those two relief appearances happened to be two four-goal comebacks coming in a span of four days.
Knight allowed just four goals on 54 shots in his two April starts, backstopping Florida to a 4-1 win over Nashville in his latest start on Saturday.
“They’re both fun, just fun in different ways,” Knight said of playing in both the comebacks and Saturday’s tightly-contested game.
“Just watching [the comebacks] is fun, but when you get a close win, you just feel good at the end when it’s a nailbiter and then you finish it off.”
On Saturday night, the Panthers found themselves in a tight battle from the start.
Florida grabbed the first lead — a rarity lately — when Carter Verhaeghe scored on a one-timer from Brandon Montour.
Nashville answered a few minutes later on a defensive breakdown in front of the net, but that was all the Predators could muster.
Knight ended up giving up the one goal and made 24 saves in the win.
With Knight holding down the fort in a hotly contested game, the Panthers were able to get the lead (and hold it) when Anton Lundell scored at 15:16 of the second.
The Panthers’ final two goals of the night came on empty net shots from Jonathan Huberdeau and Gus Forsling.
“I thought we played a very good game structurally from start to finish,” Knight said.
Florida comes home riding a seven-game winning streak as it inches closer to a pair of big milestones.
The Panthers have 10 games left and hold a six-point lead on Carolina atop the Eastern Conference standings and have an eight-point lead on Toronto in the Atlantic.
Knight has been a big part of it — and will likely continue to be.
Florida has three games coming up this week: Tuesday and Friday at home with Saturday in Detroit.
“He played excellent the whole game,” Brunette said of Knight’s performance on Saturday night.
“I thought he was calming. He was very quiet, very solid. It was a really good performance by him.”
FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK
ANAHEIM DUCKS AT FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
- Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise
- TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida
- Radio: WQAM 560-AM, SiriusXM
- Last season: Did not play
- All-time regular season series: Florida leads 19-14-2, 3 ties
- Season Series — Florida leads 1-0: Florida 3, @Anaheim 0 (March 19)