Panthers' Anthony Duclair day-to-day after unexpected scratch

The Florida Panthers lost Friday night against the Washington Capitals in part because of an Alex Ovechkin hat trick, but they went into the game down one of their best forwards after winger Anthony Duclair was unexpectedly pulled from warmups and scratched.

Now, interim head coach Andrew Brunette says Duclair is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Speaking after the game, Brunette called the scratch “unexpected,” and that Duclair was mostly pulled as a precaution. However, he does say that Duclair will be evaluated in the coming days.

Maxim Mamin, who has a goal in four games this season, filled in on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Bennett in Duclair’s absence.

Duclair was finally rewarded with some stability this offseason when the Panthers gave him a three-year, $9 million contract extension this offseason. He’s lit up the scoresheet this season, posting 17 points in 19 games en route to an extremely hot start for the Panthers.