Sam Bennett is a crucial piece of the Florida Panthers' top-six — even scoring the team's opening goal in Tuesday night's Game 2, 3-2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning — but they'll be without the veteran for at least the next seven days.
Bennett was injured after blocking teammate Brandon Montour's shot with his hand on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. He won't be an option for the next week, per Panthers head coach Paul Maurice.
“Coach Maurice says that Sam Bennett is out ‘at least a week' after leaving last night’s game with an upper body injury,” the team's official social media account reported.
The bench boss told team reporter Jameson Olive that the injury “was like hearing your car was in an accident but then finding out it’s only a fender bender.”
“Got to the rink and got great news,” he added.
It's great for Panthers fans that Bennett avoided a significant ailment, although the team will certainly miss him for Games 3 and 4. Maurice confirmed that he would miss both of those tilts, but since it's an upper-body injury, he will likely be able to keep skating during that time.
The injury is better than the club was expecting, and if things go well, it looks like Bennett could be an option as soon as Game 5, but more likely Game 6 — if the series goes that long.
Sam Bennett's presence will be missed in Tampa Bay
As the series shifts northwest to Tampa for Games 3 and 4, Florida has an excellent opportunity to virtually end the Bolts' hopes if they can find a road win at Amalie Arena on Thursday.
But the task will be more difficult without Bennett, who got the scoring underway in Game 2 and has effectively centered the Panthers' second line along with Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk.
The former scored the overtime winner in Game 2 — his fifth Stanley Cup Playoffs overtime winner, good for third in NHL history — while the latter added an assist in the thrilling victory.
Bennett tallied 20 goals and 41 points in just 69 games during the 2023-24 regular-season, his third with the Cats after being traded from the Calgary Flames in April of 2021. The 28-year-old also amassed 173 hits this season, and his physical style of game will be sorely missed as the Battle of Florida continues.
Still, the Cats are one win away from all-but-booking their trip to the Eastern Conference second-round. After being defeated by the Bolts twice in the last four years — first in six games in the first-round of the 2021 postseason, and again in a four-game sweep in Round 2 the next season — it's clear this team is looking for revenge.
The Panthers would love to knock out the team that has been to three Stanley Cup Finals in the last four seasons, and it would be especially sweet for the franchise to get the job done on the road.
Game 3 is set for just past 7:30 p.m. ET at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
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