SUNRISE, Fla. -- After missing the last six games with a shoulder injury, Roberto Luongo will return to the Florida net Thursday night when the Panthers host the Detroit Red Wings at the BB&T Center.
"Lou's been our MVP all year long," Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant said after the team's morning skate. "He's been a great player for us and a great leader and a great character. He's going to come in tonight and try to do his best. He'll work hard, compete hard and I'm sure the guys will be excited to see him."
Luongo, 35, was injured in the first period of Florida's 3-2 loss to Toronto on March 3 when a shot from Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov hit him in the shoulder. Luongo, however, would later return to finish the game after backup goalie Al Montoya sustained a groin injury.
"It was day-to-day the whole time," Gallant said of the injury. "You're hoping it's going to be real quick, but it just took a little longer than we thought."
In 52 appearances this season, Luongo has posted a 23-16-11 record with a 2.37 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.
In the absence of both Luongo and Montoya, third-string goaltender Dan Ellis was surprisingly solid in relief. Ellis, 34, started each of Florida's last six games, posting a 3-2-1 record with a 2.13 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.
"I think anytime you lose a great player, teams actually play pretty well for the first little bit because it gives you a sense of urgency," Panthers captain Willie Mitchell said. "Over the long haul, you obviously miss a player of that magnitude.
"He (Luongo) is just predictable within his game and gives us a chance to win every night. Fortunate enough for us, Ellis came in and did all those things too."
Florida enters Thursday's game against Detroit seven points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
"There's 12 games, and there's seven or eight points to make up there," said Gallant. "Tonight's an important game. They're all important games."
You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.
