With David Booth and Radek Dvorak out for an undetermined amount of time, the already-struggling Panthers are turning to some of their prospects for help.

On Monday the team recalled rookies Michal Repik and Kenndal McArdle from their American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., to help fill the void.

As for where they'll play, even coach Pete DeBoer sounds like he doesn't know.

The Panthers are desperate for scoring -- they have scored two or fewer goals in all seven losses -- so DeBoer will be mixing up line combinations until he finds something that works.

``These two guys both had decent camps,'' DeBoer said. ``Repik had a real good camp and McArdle had, I thought, a pretty average camp. But to his credit, he went down there and has battled to come back.

``We're trying to create an atmosphere where players are rewarded on merit according to our coaches down there. These were the most worthy candidates.''

Both Repik and McArdle are having good seasons for the rejuvenated Rochester Americans, a team that has suffered the past few years but has bounced back. The team has won eight of its first 10 games and is riding a seven-game winning streak. Repik and McArdle have helped with the resurgence.

Repik was one of the last cuts when the season started; he was sent to Rochester when Dominic Moore agreed to terms two games into the season. Repik has six goals and five assists in nine AHL games.

With Dvorak out with a left leg injury (the Panthers said they don't have an update on his status), Repik could be with the team for a little while if he gets off to a good start. The 20-year-old scored two goals in five games with the Panthers last season.

``It's always good to come back instead of going down. So, yes, I'm happy to be here,'' said Repik, a second-round pick in 2007. ``I'm off to a pretty good start with the farm team, so hopefully I can do something up here. We'll see on Wednesday. I can focus on one game only. It's not good that guys are injured, but I need to show the coaches I can step up and play at this level.''

McArdle was cut before the trip to Finland and has had a solid start, getting two goals with four assists. He's also playing a physical game, something the Panthers need as well. McArdle has already posted 54 penalty minutes to lead Rochester.

``You don't like to be in this situation, coming up because someone is hurt,'' said McArdle, Florida's first-round pick in the 2005 NHL Draft. ``But we're in Rochester so we're there when Florida needs us.

``When they need us, we have to be ready.''

The Panthers hope some of their newcomers' winning ways rub off. The team heads into Wednesday's game against Ottawa with just two wins in nine games and is riding a three-game losing streak. Florida has the second-fewest points in the league, ahead of only winless Toronto.

ELSEWHERE

• Booth, who sustained a concussion during Saturday's loss at Philadelphia, wasn't at Monday afternoon's practice in Coral Springs. A team spokesman said he was being checked on by a team doctor. DeBoer said Booth and Dvorak's injuries weren't of the day-to-day variety. DeBoer also said Nick Tarnasky -- out with a broken orbital bone he sustained in a fight Sept. 15 -- is out ``long term.''

• The team still hasn't announced its plans for rookie defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, whose first year of his entry-level contract kicks in if he plays Wednesday. Kulikov practiced with the team Monday.

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