The wait is over the Florida Panthers: Roberto Luongo is ready to play again.
After serving as the backup goalie on Wednesday in Vancouver, Luongo is poised to start Saturday night in Calgary, Panthers coach Bob Boughner said during a Friday teleconference. Luongo has not played since Dec. 4 due to a groin injury that sidelined him for more than two months.
Luongo returned to full practice on Feb. 8 and was activated off injured reserve on Wednesday.
Although he was active for the game against Vancouver, Luongo served as James Reimer's backup. Boughner said it was partly to get Luongo back in his gameday routine slowly.
"His goal was to play (Saturday) against Calgary and he wanted to just get back into a bit of a routine where he's taking shots in the morning, grab a little rest in the afternoon and warming up," Boughner said. "I think he's gradually been building up to this game. Louie's been around for a long time, I don't see him getting out of the box with emotions or anything."
Luongo, 38, has battled a trio of injuries in the last year. A hip injury forced him to miss the final six weeks of the 2017 season. A right hand injury shelved him for two weeks earlier this season. And the groin injury sidelined him for 27 games.
This season, Luongo has been solid in limited action. In just 15 games, he has a .928 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average. The save percentage would be the lowest of his career since 2010-11, when he finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting.
"I think he wants to play a safe first period and we want to make sure that we play good around him," Boughner said. "He doesn't have to go win us a game in the first period. You've got to sort of ease him in, I would like, in a perfect world."
Reimer and third-string goaltender Harri Sateri were solid in Luongo's absence, combining for a .917 save percentage and 2.79 GAA. Both led the team on extended winning streaks. Both were named one of the NHL's stars of the week.
Reimer started the last two victories in Edmonton and Vancouver, allowing eight goals on 69 shots. Sateri was sent back down to AHL affiliate Springfield.
