Florida Panthers Resting Veteran Defenseman Tonight Vs. Senators

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers will not have Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the lineup tonight when they play host to the Ottawa Senators.

This will be the first game Ekman-Larsson has missed this season.

Coach Paul Maurice said he is going to rest OEL tonight.

Uvis Balinskis, who was recalled from AHL Charlotte when the Panthers pulled Aaron Ekblad, will play in his place.

Balinskis signed a two-year contract extension with Florida earlier this season and is expected to be part of the normal rotation next season.

Maurice said Monday that he did not expect Ekblad or Carter Verhaeghe to play before the start of the playoffs.

“At some point here, maybe this year or maybe early next year, Uvis is going to get in the lineup and never come out,’’ Maurice said.

“He’s an NHL defenseman. I have faith in that. I also think he’s made great progress in the American League. He came back and in this last little tour has been very, very good for us. We just have a lot of depth. This is management of depth for us.”

The Panthers will be rolling out basically the same lineup it has used the past few games — including Thursday’s 6-0 win in Ottawa.

The starting goalies will be a rematch of Thursday: Sergei Bobrovsky against Joonas Korpisalo, his former understudy in Columbus.