After missing each of the last seven games, top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad will return to the blue line for the Florida Panthers when they face-off against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

Adin Hill made 32 saves, Tanner Pearson had his first game-winning goal of the season and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Sunday night.

The Panthers have eight players total slated to participate in the tournament: Four for Finland (Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola), two for Canada (Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett), one for the United States (Matthew Tkachuk) and one for Sweden (Gustav Forsling).

Among the throngs of South Floridians swept up in the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup Championship run last season was a little cluster of fans who cheered on the team from their rooms at Joe

Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks (14-32-6), who have lost six straight and nine of ten. Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled early in the second period for Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief.

On Thursday, Barkov became the first hockey player to be named Finland’s Sportsman of the Year. The award is voted on annually by the Finnish Sports Journalists’ Association and has been given out since 1947.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Defenseman Aaron Ekblad had a goal and an assist in his return from an upper-body injury and the Florida Panthers routed the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Saturday night.

Cody Ceci and Will Smith scored for the Sharks (14-32-6), who have lost six straight and nine of ten. Alexandar Georgiev allowed four goals on 15 shots before being pulled early in the second period for Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief.