Following the birth of his first child over the weekend, Sam Bennett will return to the Florida Panthers lineup, centering the top line against the Ottawa Senators.
The Florida Panthers will welcome Sam Bennett back to their lineup tonight against the Ottawa Senators.
The 29-year-old missed both games over the weekend due to the birth of his first child. The Panthers fell to the New York Islanders on Saturday before being nearly shut out against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
At today’s practice, Bennett skated as the top line center with Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk on his wings.
Bennett’s season started slowly, as he struggled to produce offensively. But he turned the corner pretty quickly and has posted 25 goals and 54 points in 70 games. His 54 points are a career high, and his 25 goals are just three shy of his previous career high of 28, which he set in his first year as a Panther.
The Panthers have nine games remaining, giving Bennett some time to chase down his goal-scoring record.
Tonight’s fixture is of little meaning for the Panthers, but it means everything for the Senators. A win moves the Panthers from 27th place to 24th place in the NHL standings, and the Panthers would still sit 13 points out of a playoff spot.
For the Senators, a win puts them even with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. A loss, coupled with wins by the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Blue Jackets, would greatly affect their playoff hopes.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST at Amerant Bank Arena.
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