Panthers goalie Spencer Knight speaks after Florida's 3-0 win over Anaheim on Jan. 18. There was a festive mood inside the Florida Panthers locker room on Saturday night. It’s not terribly surprising, as the Panthers had just defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 in front of a packed Amerant Bank Arena. As the media came in to speak to the happy Cats after their win, it was clear that many of the good vibes they were feeling were directed at one particular player. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNjE3OTM2NjIzMjQ4NDky/img_6014.jpg] Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight, who has been playing some excellent hockey of late, had just earned his second shutout of the season after making 34 saves against the Ducks. Eight of those 34 stops were on high danger shots. “He was unreal,” said Panthers center Anton Lundell. “He made some huge saves and kept us in the game.” Knight has now made four appearances, with three starts, since the calendar flipped to 2025. He has picked up wins in each of his starts while boasting a stellar .969 save percentage – stopping 93 of the past 96 shots he’s faced – to go with a microscopic 0.85 goals against average. “The last couple games he’s been playing here, he has been really good,” said Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist. “I’m so glad for him. He’s been working really hard to play like that. It’s a lot of fun to watch.” He’s not wrong. Seeing Knight’s game and confidence grow simultaneously over the past few weeks has been a treat. The 23-year-old is feeling so comfortable right now that he went for a goalie goal on Saturday night when Anaheim emptied their net, but Knight’s shot was knocked down as it sailed through the neutral zone. Determined (or not?) to find his way on the scoresheet, Knight picked up an assist on Gus Forsling’s empty-net goal a few moments later. “I was really hoping he would have scored in the end,” Lundell said through a smile. “I kind of dodged the puck to see if it went in, but he got an assist, so that was good.” Another positive element of Knight’s game elevation is the timing. It’s no secret that Florida is going to have to rely on both of their goaltenders during the second half of the season. Over the past several years, Panthers starter Sergei Bobrovsky has played his best hockey later in the season and, particularly and especially, during the playoffs. Knight following a similar path would be ideal for Florida. “Both of those men are going to play meaningful hockey,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “And we're going to need them both to be good, just on the sheer number of games that we have back-to-back.” Not unlike his players, Maurice also has liked what he’s seen from Knight in recent weeks. It’s clear that the goaltender has been putting in the work on and off the ice while keeping a positive attitude and patiently waiting for his opportunities. “He is an athletically strong man, and his explosiveness, it's there, it's always been there,” Maurice said. “Sometimes goalies want to be so perfect, so technical, that they lose their athleticism, and I think that's something he and (Panthers Goalie Coach) Robb Tallas worked on from day one here, having confidence in his abilities as an athlete and a very, very fit, very powerful man. He can get across post-to-post strong, and hold those positions. That's physically a very difficult thing to do. He's good at it.” The Panthers will head back out on the road Monday, enjoying a nice, six-hour flight across the country to complete their home-and-home with Anaheim. It won’t be long before Knight finds himself in the starter’s crease again, as Florida’s four-game road trip includes a pair of back-to-back sets. Whichever game, or games, his number is called for, there is no doubt that Knight has the full confidence of his coach and teammates. “We’ve got lots of faith in him, and he’s a really strong goalie,” Maurice said. “He’s been good for us.” LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Three takeaways: Penalty kill steps up without Sam Reinhart, momentum building in Spencer Knight [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-penalty-kill-steps-up-without-sam-reinhart-momentum-building-in-spencer-knight] Good Knight in Sunrise as Panthers shutout Anaheim 3-0 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/good-knight-in-sunrise-as-panthers-shutout-anaheim-3-0] Ducks in town as Panthers aim to end homestand on high note [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/ducks-in-town-as-panthers-aim-to-end-homestand-on-high-note] The Hockey Show: Tight playoff race out East, how Matthew Tkachuk is officiated [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/the-hockey-show-tight-playoff-race-out-east-how-matthew-tkachuk-is-officiated] Three takeaways: Florida wastes strong start, penalty kill struggles mightily [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-florida-wastes-strong-start-penalty-kill-struggles-mightily] Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNjQxMjA5NjI4NzMxMDIz/unnamed.jpg]
