Injuries put spotlight on call-ups

Injuries have been a well-documented reality all season for the Florida Panthers.

Their hope of remaining in the playoff race while four key players continue to rehab will depend in large part on the performance of some fill-ins who are being relied on heavily.

That became more evident Thursday when interim coach Tom Rowe said he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Jonathan Huberdeau and/or Aleksander Barkov won’t play again this season.

With forward Nick Bjugstad also out for an extended period, it was encouraging that two of those upstarts, Greg McKegg and Michael Sgarbossa, contributed goals Wednesday, though it wasn’t enough to avoid a 4-3 loss in overtime at Edmonton.

McKegg and Sgarbossa, along with Paul Thompson, all up from the minors, will continue to get significant ice time in the injury absence of the three top-six forwards.

As for the possibility of Barkov and Huberdeau missing the remainder of the season, Rowe said: “You’re always concerned about that, especially given the injuries. Huberdeau, we’re not going to rush back. Barkov, the same thing.

“Those two franchise players, we’re certainly not going to rush them back. They’ll be back in the lineup when everybody feels they’re ready to play.”

Huberdeau, recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, remains on track for a possible return in early March.

Rowe said Barkov, out since Dec. 28, is receiving physical therapy and there is no projection for when he’ll be back on the ice. He also said for the first time that the team’s top-line center is dealing with an upper-body injury.

Defenseman Alex Petrovic (ankle) is expected back around the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Rowe said, “We’re moving forward and playing with the guys we have.”

Sgarbossa’s first NHL goal (in his 30th career game, 11th with the Panthers) came on a power play when he went to the net and knocked in a rebound of a shot by Jonathan Marchessault.

McKegg tipped in a shot by Jaromir Jagr for his third goal in his past five games, sandwiched around missing a few with an injury. It was the second time the former third-round draft pick on the Maple Leafs has scored during a brief cameo appearance on a line with Jagr.

Rowe also cited Thompson for adding a needed physical presence on the fourth line.

“Those three guys … really carved out a niche for themselves with us for the rest of this year,” Rowe said. “Whether they all stay here the rest of the year remains to be seen. But we’ve been able to use them, and it’s really good for them because they’ve shown us that they can play at this level.”

The Panthers suffered another agonizing loss with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime when Oilers phenom turned a breakaway into a goal that nobody saw.

That is, nobody saw the puck go into the net. The puck was in goalie

glove, which game officials ruled crossed the goal line into

Connor McDavid Reimer’s James

the net as he caught it.

NHL replay officials in Toronto confirmed the goal, and Rowe agreed that replays showed it was the correct call. But it was a difficult ending to accept for Reimer.

“I don't think any goalie would agree with that call,” Reimer said. “I'm sure 20,000 people here thought it went in, but I knew I had it in my glove. I didn't know if it crossed the line or not.

“When I saw the replay, I thought the call might go our way. That's not the way they saw it.”

More troubling was another failure to protect a third-period lead.

The Panthers, who fell behind 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of the game, rallied to take a 3-2 lead on McKegg’s goal with 5:15 remaining. But just over two minutes later, pounced on a turnover by

and tied it with his first goal in 18 games on a 2-on-1 rush.

They then lost for the ninth time in overtime or shootouts, tied for most in the NHL. They are 8-9 in games decided after regulation, after starting 6-1.

Jordan Eberle Keith Yandle

Reimer left immediately after the game to be with his wife who was due to give birth in South Florida. Goalie was recalled from Springfield to back up for the final two games on the trip.

Forward was sent down to the AHL affiliate to get playing time. Malgin, who turned 20 Wednesday, had four goals in his first 16 games but hasn’t scored in the 23 he has played since Nov. 15.

Reto Berra Roberto Luongo Denis Malgin