SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov became the first hockey player to ever win Finland's Sportsman of the Year in a vote by the Finnish Association of Sports Journalists. Barkov, the first Finnish captain to win the Stanley Cup, was named Hockey Player of the Year at the annual Sports Gala on Thursday night.

“It means the world to me, to be honest,” Barkov said. “It’s Athlete of the Year in Finland, the country where I was born, where I was raised and grew up watching national teams play and cheering for them. To get that honor, it’s huge for me. I’m really, really happy and really thankful to be able to get that award.”

Spencer Knight made 34 saves for his second shutout of the season and the Florida Panthers beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 on Saturday night to open a home-and-home set.

Backup goalie Spencer Knight made 34 saves to lead the host Florida Panthers to a 3-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night in Sunrise, Fla. It was Knight's second shutout this season and fifth of his career.