Goalie injury bug hits Reimer
Luongo’s backup joins him on the sidelines
Just when the Florida Panthers’ season-long edition of goaltender roulette appeared to be ending, Tuesday night in Dallas threw another wrench in their plans.
James Reimer, who shouldered the load since Roberto Luongo’s injury on Dec. 4, exited an eventual 6-1 loss to the Stars in the game’s first four minutes after suffering a lowerbody injury that nearly mirrored the one to Luongo about two months ago.
Reimer was injured extending his right leg while attempting to make a save on Greg Pateryn’s slap shot that veered wide. The injury was non-contact and Reimer skated off reluctant to put weight on his right leg. He did not return to the game. Harri Sateri finished the game for Florida, allowing six goals on 36 shots on goal.
“We’re already obviously without our big guy, our starting goalie,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said to reporters in Dallas. “And then you see your other guy go down. I’m sure that affected the team a little bit on the bench for a while. We tried to fight hard for Harri. But it’s tough when you only score one goal on the road, you’re not going to win a lot of hockey games.”
Boughner did not update Reimer’s status after the game. Wednesday was a travel day for Florida, but the team is expected to provide an update today prior to the Panthers’ game against the Washington Capitals.
Reimer started 18 of 19 games during Luongo’s absence, including the first 17 in a row. He was solid for the Panthers during that stretch, posting a .924 save percentage and a 2.59 goals against average, even being named the NHL’s third star of the week once.
Reimer steadied the club during its five-game winning streak in December, but allowed at least three goals in four of his past five starts entering Tuesday’s game in Dallas.
Sateri will likely make his second career NHL start tonight against Washington. His first career start came Saturday in a 4-3 loss in Nashville.
“I know he’s been battling for us, been a great backup with Lu being down,” Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie said. “Certainly don’t like to see your goalie have that happen to him. James has done a great job getting us to this point. Now, I guess we got to dig in here and maybe with some luck, have Lu back here soon enough.”
The Panthers signed the 28-year-old Finnish goaltender in the offseason to serve as insurance after playing in 129 AHL games with the San Jose Sharks organization and 132 KHL games. He made his NHL debut in relief of Reimer on Jan. 2 in Minnesota.
The team recalled goaltender prospect Samuel Montembeault to serve as Sateri’s backup until Reimer or Luongo returns. Montembeault, 21, has been thought of as the Panthers’ goaltender of the future who will take over when Luongo retires.
Montembealut was a third-round draft pick in 2015 and has a .904 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA with AHL affiliate Springfield. He would become the fifth goaltender the Panthers have dressed this season.
Should Reimer miss extended time, it would be the third prolonged injury to a Panthers goaltender this season. Luongo missed six games in the first month of the season with a right hand injury. In his absence, Reimer and Antii Niemi struggled, including backto-back games in which Reimer was yanked from the game.
Then Luongo suffered his lower-body injury on Dec. 4 against the New York Islanders, and now Reimer is hurt after Tuesday’s injury.