Aaron Ekblad blocked a shot late against the Philadelphia Flyers, but the news this morning is positive.

The Florida Panthers were defeated 4-2 by the Flyers despite once owning a two-goal lead. The Panthers came out firing, throwing 15 shots on goal in the first period and concluding the opening frame up 1-0. Carter Verhaeghe added the second, but four unanswered goals by the Flyers flipped the script.

Late in the third period, while trying to keep the Flyers' lead at a minimum, Ekblad blocked a shot that stung him. He finished the game with one shot on goal, two hits and three blocks in 21:43 of ice time.

There was some concern this morning, but coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media and provided a positive update, stating that he is fine and that he will play on Friday against the Calgary Flames. 

Ekblad has had a quiet season offensively, but he continues to be a vital part of their defensive system. With just one goal and seven points in 22 games, the 29-year-old is on pace for just four goals and 26 points.

Despite that, Ekblad averages the second-most ice time on the team and plays a critical role on the Panthers' shutdown unit with Gustav Forsling. 

The news is a sigh of relief for the Panthers.

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