Florida Panthers Get Big Lineup Boost Ahead Of Game 1 Of Conference Finals

He was pronounced "week-to-week" after going down with an upper-body injury during the Florida Panthers' first-round series upset of the Boston Bruins. But now, eight games later, it appears that pesky winger Ryan Lomberg is set to return in time for Game 1 of the Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night.

Lomberg was initially injured in Game 1 of their 7-game set with the Bruins, but remained in the lineup for three more games, before being shut down after Game 4. It's believed that the winger had an injured hand which required surgery.

He was finally cleared for contact on Monday, and has been skating with the team this week. “He is good for full combat right now,’’ head coach Paul Maurice said. 

“It was nice being out there and being allowed to bang around a little bit,’’ Lomberg said, per Florida Hockey Now. “The guys went full out on me instead of taking it easy. Whenever I get the chance to get back in, I have to be ready to go.”

He was a spectactor for the entire second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he was still stoked watching as a fan.

“The building was electric and it was kind of cool to be able to watch it from that perspective,’’ Lomberg said, “but I would much rather experience it from ice level. But being able to take a step back and see how great our fans are was a pretty cool perspective.”

The 28-year-old forward played in all 82 games for the Panthers this season, registering 20 points and 88 penalty minutes in 11:19 TOI. 

Photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports