Stolarz Wins First Start with the Florida Panthers. What’s Next?

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers got their first look at Anthony Stolarz in a regular-season game situation on Tuesday night.

So far, so good.

Stolarz, who signed with the Panthers on July 1 after spending the previous four seasons with Anaheim, made 27 saves in a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks.

So, when does Stolarz get another shot?

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With Sergei Bobrovsky being Florida’s No. 1 goalie, Stolarz’s next start is not known — at least not publicly.

Florida goalie coach Robb Tallas and head coach Paul Maurice, however, likely have a pretty good idea.

Due to the light schedule to start the season — and Florida wanting to get Bobrovsky into a rhythm as Maurice put it — Stolarz sat for the first five games.

He may not have to wait that long to get into his second game.

Although Bobrovsky is expected to start the next two games (Saturday at home against Seattle and Monday in Boston), Stolarz could find himself playing either in Detroit on Nov. 2 or in Chicago two days later.

That following week (Nov. 6-12), the Panthers play four games with one on the road in Washington.

Stolarz is going to find himself getting into more action in the coming weeks than he did in the first ones, that is for sure.

“It is obviously exciting and this is why you work hard in practice so you can be sharp,” Stolarz said. “When your name is called, you have to be ready to go. There definitely were some jitters out there with the crowd, but it was a familiar team I had faced before. I knew my team would show up in front of me and that’s exactly what they did.’’

As for that first start on Tuesday, San Jose did not offer much in way of offense but took a 1-0 lead midway through the first on a missed penalty kill assignment as Fabian Zetterlund set up uncontested in front of the net where he scored off a pass from William Eklund.

In the third, however, San Jose had 10 scoring chances including three high-danger looks in the final 4 minutes when the Sharks pulled goalie Mackenzie Blackwood down 2-1.

It was Stolarz’s first start since February after missing the end of last season with Anaheim due to a knee injury.

“To be off that long and be solid, he earned it because he has worked so hard,” Maurice said. “He knows the job, knows those practices have to be his games. He is really prepared and looked in net like he did in practice. He is a big man and efficient. Not a lot of scramble to his game and was really good. Lot of good saves.”

PANTHERS ON DECK

SEATTLE KRAKEN @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

• When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WAXY 790-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season: @ Florida, Saturday; @ Seattle, Dec. 12
• Last season: Tied 1-1
• All-time regular season series: Seattle leads 3-1-0
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at Boston, 7