The Florida Panthers might be without a key piece when they face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Forward A.J. Greer’s status is up in the air, according to head coach Paul Maurice. But there’s good news too – Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell should both be ready to go, despite missing Saturday’s practice.
“The only question mark is Greer. We’ll list him as day-to-day,” Maurice said. “The other guys are fine. They’ll be back on the ice tomorrow for our optional.”
Both Greer and Luostarinen got banged up in Game 5 against the Hurricanes. The team hasn’t said why Lundell missed practice, but you wouldn’t know anything was wrong from his last game – he scored a goal and dominated in the faceoff circle, winning an impressive 62% of his draws.
Lundell’s been having quite a year. He put up the best numbers of his career with 45 points in the regular season, and he’s stayed hot in the playoffs with 5 goals and 12 points.
Greer’s been a pleasant surprise in his first year with Florida. Despite playing less than 10 minutes a game, he’s made every second count. He racked up 17 points in 81 games and led the team with a whopping 222 hits. In the playoffs, he’s added 2 goals and an assist.
But it’s Luostarinen who’s really turned it up in the postseason. After a modest regular season with 24 points, he’s exploded for 13 points in 18 playoff games.
He’s been doing the dirty work too. Luostarinen ranks second on the team in hits this postseason with 71, and no Panthers forward has blocked more shots than his 19. Having him ready for Game 1 is huge for Florida’s chances.
