SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers had reason to be optimistic as they headed into Game 3 of their playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with two key players back in action. Captain Aleksander Barkov, who faced an unfortunate exit in Game 2 following a rough encounter with Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel, was ready to take the ice again. Meanwhile, Aaron Ekblad made his return after a 20-game suspension.
Coach Paul Maurice shared updates on Saturday morning, expressing that Barkov was in good spirits. The team kept a close watch on their star center’s condition during pregame warmups. This marked two days since Barkov endured a hard hit from Hagel in Florida’s 2-0 triumph over Tampa Bay, which allowed the Panthers to secure a series lead of 2-0.
Hagel, a crucial player for the Lightning, received a one-game suspension and was absent from Game 3, a critical matchup for his team. After taking the hit, Barkov briefly retreated to one knee before skating off to the dressing room, missing the last ten minutes of the game. Hagel faced a five-minute major penalty for interference and had a discussion with the NHL’s department of player safety, culminating in his suspension.
Ekblad’s return was significant, as he had served a 20-game suspension starting in March for breaching the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. In a statement released through the NHLPA, Ekblad expressed shock at his positive result on a random drug test and issued an apology for his oversight.
Before his suspension, Ekblad contributed 33 points and led his team in average ice time with 23:31 per game over 56 matches. He also played a vital role in special teams for the reigning Stanley Cup champions. Coach Maurice mentioned that Ekblad would not immediately resume his power play duties but would instead focus on 5-on-5 play, with Nate Schmidt and Seth Jones continuing to helm those units.
Barkov’s presence maintained his outstanding playoff contributions, as he has been a part of all 73 of Florida’s playoff games since joining the team. He stands as Florida’s all-time leader in playoff appearances and assists, with 43, points totaling 62, and he ranks third in goals with 19.