Right off the holiday break, the Lightning will square off against the Panthers for the second time in just two weeks, this time at Amerant Bank Arena.
Lightning forward Brandon Hagel will be out of the lineup again Saturday. Hagel hasn’t played since Dec. 15, when Panthers defenseman Seth Jones delivered a forearm to his head and took him out of the game, a hit that went unpenalized. Hagel took part in Saturday’s morning skate, hinting that a return could be near but with his history against Florida, there’s no reason to rush him back. In each of the last three games he’s played against the Panthers, Hagel has been forced out early after taking a hit to the head.
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh did not participate in Saturday’s morning skate after aggravating a previous injury. Coach Jon Cooper told reporters that McDonagh is day-to-day and will be out of the lineup, which prompted the Lightning to recall Steven Santini from Syracuse earlier in the day. The team also recalled enforcer Scott Sabourin, who has appeared in seven games for the Bolts this season, recording one goal and three points, with 32 penalty minutes.
Some positive news for the Lightning: defenseman Erik Cernak returned to the ice Saturday for the first time since Nov. 22, coming off a hand injury.
Saturday’s game carries plenty of weight with the Atlantic Division standings tightly packed. The Lightning currently sit third, two points behind Montreal and four behind Detroit, while the Panthers trail the Lightning by just one point.