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Jose Theodore should start worrying about Jacob Markstrom

Florida Panthers v Montreal Canadiens

MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 24: Jacob Markstrom #25 of the Florida Panthers makes a save during the NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 24, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

Richard Wolowicz

It was pretty clear that Jose Theodore was expected to be a stopgap solution in net when the Florida Panthers handed him a two-year contract this summer. He was supposed to gradually hand the torch to “goalie of the future” Jacob Markstrom, but the team’s hot prospect is making a serious case to be their goalie of the present.

Markstrom raised some eyebrows in his first win by stopping all 18 of the New York Islanders’ shots in a busy third period on Saturday, but he was even better in a full game of action tonight. The big goalie made 40 out of 41 saves (including 14 in the third period) to lead the Panthers past the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Monday.

In three appearances so far, Markstrom has been dominant, stopping 87 out of the 90 shots he faced. He lost despite a great effort against the Washington Capitals in his first game but has been lights out since Theodore left with an injury in that contest versus the Islanders.

Now new Panthers head coach Kevin Dineen might just have a goalie controversy on his hands. Then again, considering what he started this season with, it might be a good problem to have.