Panthers' Sam Bennett is day-to-day with upper-body injury

Florida Panthers reporter Jameson Olive tweets that forward Sam Bennett is out of the lineup Saturday night against the Boston Bruins with an upper body injury. His status is day-to-day.

In Bennett's place, Zac Dalpe, who was recalled Saturday from the Charlotte Checkers, will make his Panthers debut. In corresponding roster moves, Anton Lundell and Joe Thornton have been placed on injured reserve, per the team.

Bennett has flourished after being dealt to the Panthers at the trade deadline last season. Centering the Panthers’ second line between Jonathan Huberdeau and Owen Tippett, Bennett has four goals and three assists in seven games for the undefeated Panthers this season. Combined with his incredible finish to last season, he has 22 points through his first 18 games as a Panther.

If this injury bug persists for Florida, it has already built a five-point cushion on first place in the Atlantic Division. Undefeated through eight games, the Panthers will rely on their solid forward depth now to keep them at the top of the league.