Sunrise, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – The Florida Panthers recalled two minor
league goaltenders on Wednesday, one day after both Roberto Luongo and Al
Montoya were injured in a game against Toronto.
The Panthers called up Dan Ellis from San Antonio of the AHL and Sam Brittain
from Cincinnati of the ECHL.
Luongo suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury after taking a shot off his
shoulder late in the first period and didn’t return to the ice for the second.
Later, chaos reigned after Montoya went down with a lower-body injury less
than a minute into the third. Play was stopped twice to see if he could
continue.
Eventually, Panthers goaltending coach Rob Tallas put on a uniform and took a
seat on the bench under the NHL rule that allows teams to dress any eligible
player in a goaltender emergency. But Luongo changed back into his uniform
from street clothes to relieve Montoya and finish the game, which the Panthers
lost 3-2.
The well-traveled Ellis, 34, has appeared in 204 career NHL games for Dallas,
Nashville, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Carolina and Florida. Brittain, 22, has never
played in an NHL game.
