Ryan Lomberg to play for Florida Panthers in Game 5

Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers will be making a lineup change for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. 

After sitting out the past seven games, forward Ryan Lomberg will return to the lineup on Tuesday. It has not been confirmed, but it seems likely that Steven Lorentz will be a healthy scratch. 

Coach Paul Maurice confirms Lomberg is in tonight for Game 5 https://t.co/O10C92pheX

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) June 18, 2024

“Great, great energy that he brings to our room, but to give him credit, he also brought it when he wasn’t in the lineup,” Maurice told reporters Tuesday.

Lomberg has not played since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old has not recorded a point in five playoff games for Florida. He has three goals in 29 career playoff games and finished the 2023-24 regular season with seven points (five goals, two assists) in 75 games. 

After a decisive 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 on Saturday, Florida is looking to respond with a chance to win their first-ever Stanley Cup on home ice in front of their fans. A good way to do that is to bring in a player that packs a lot of energy. And Ryan Lomberg is just that guy. 

“Energy and speed,” Lomberg told reporters about what he brings to the lineup after morning skate on Tuesday. “Got a full gas tank, so I’m excited to let some of it go there.”

The Panthers showed a lot of maturity and restraint in the final period of Game 4. In the past, that game would have turned into a mess of penalties and game misconducts. But Florida did not give in to previous temptations. Now, Lomberg will have to find and walk that same line as a player who has racked up over 80 penalty minutes in each of the past three seasons. 

Florida enters Game 5 with a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.