Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot late against the Philadelphia Flyers [http://thn.com/philadelphia], but the news this morning is positive. The Florida Panthers were defeated 4-2 by the Flyers despite once owning a two-goal lead. The Panthers came out firing, throwing 15 shots on goal in the first period and concluding the opening frame up 1-0. Carter Verhaeghe [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/players/can-carter-verhaeghe-s-big-night-ignite-a-change-in-production] added the second, but four unanswered goals by the Flyers flipped the script. Late in the third period, while trying to keep the Flyers' lead at a minimum, Ekblad blocked a shot that stung him. He finished the game with one shot on goal, two hits and three blocks in 21:43 of ice time. There was some concern this morning, but coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media and provided a positive update, stating that he is fine and that he will play on Friday against the Calgary Flames [http://thn.com/calgary]. Ekblad has had a quiet season offensively, but he continues to be a vital part of their defensive system. With just one goal and seven points in 22 games, the 29-year-old is on pace for just four goals and 26 points. Despite that, Ekblad averages the second-most ice time on the team and plays a critical role on the Panthers' shutdown unit with Gustav Forsling. The news is a sigh of relief for the Panthers. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1c285929-4d18-4069-8601-b5d53564835e.png] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*bne8wg*_ga*NDAxOTY4NTMuMTc1NTg5NTA0Mg..*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjQwOTY0NzkkbzM1MiRnMSR0MTc2NDA5ODQ5MyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
