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Goalie drama for Panthers

 
Published March 5, 2015

SUNRISE — Dan Ellis has not played in the NHL all season. He might now be the key to the Panthers' postseason hopes.

Florida will be without goalies Roberto Luongo and Al Montoya for at least one game after both got hurt against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, setting off a series of bizarre events.

So Wednesday, Ellis, a former Lightning goalie, was called up from AHL San Antonio, and Sam Brittain was summoned from ECHL Cincinnati, making him the third player to go from that level right to the NHL, STATS said.

Ellis was expected to start tonight against the Stars, with Florida two points behind the Bruins for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot. "I'm not going to put that pressure on myself," he said. "That's not going to do me any good."

Luongo started Tuesday and was hit in the right shoulder by a puck late in the first period. Montoya took over at the start of the second. Then:

• Montoya injured his groin but tried to play through it after a delay.

• Realizing it needed an emergency goalie, Florida signed goalie coach Robb Tallas to a 24-hour tryout contract and considered giving him his first NHL action in 14 years. Forward Derek MacKenzie put on goalie gear just in case.

•GM Dale Tallon considered playing without a goalie for basically one period.

• Luongo, who was in street clothes after getting a CT scan, got cleared by the medical staff, put his uniform back on and returned to the game. He stopped all 19 shots he faced. The Panthers lost 3-2.

Game highlights: New Red Wing Marek Zidlicky scored 1:09 into overtime for a 2-1 win over the visiting Rangers. … Rookie goalie Andrew Hammond made 35 saves as the Senators beat the host Jets 3-1. Ottawa, four points out of a playoff spot in the East, is 6-0-1 in its past seven, all started by Hammond because Craig Anderson is nursing a hand injury.

Around the league: Brett Connolly, traded by the Lightning to the Bruins on Monday, fractured a finger when he was hit by a puck at practice and is expected to miss six weeks. … Islanders forward Matt Martin was suspended for one game for kneeing Stars defenseman Trevor Daley on Tuesday.