Florida Panthers ahead Matthew Tkachuk won’t face any supplemental self-discipline for his late-game hit on Tampa Bay Lightning ahead Jake Guentzel in Sport 3.
Regardless of Tkachuk receiving a five-minute main for interference on the hit, the NHL has decided no extra punishment is justified. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes, the explanations could possibly be associated to a number of components, together with there being no head contact and that Guentzel did contact the puck previous to the hit.
The hit comes one sport after Tampa Bay ahead Brandon Hagel acquired a one-game suspension for leveling Aleksander Barkov. Just like Tkachuk, Hagel acquired a five-minute main for interference.
As Friedman notes, the drive of the hit Tkachuk delivered on Guentzel might not be thought-about as impactful because the one Hagel delivered to Barkov. And as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period adds, Barkov by no means performed the puck previous to being hit. It will also be famous that Barkov exited Sport 2 and didn’t return, though he did swimsuit up in sport three.
Tkachuk’s hit drew the ire of a number of Lightning gamers, together with captain Victor Hedman. He instructed reporters following the sport, together with Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, that the timing of the hit was additionally questionable, because the Lightning have been within the strategy of scoring an empty internet aim to make the rating 5-1. Hedman added that the crew can’t management what actions are or usually are not worthy of suspension.
With Hagel set to return for Sport 4 on Monday, will probably be fascinating to see if tensions stay excessive. Both means, Tkachuk remaining obtainable for Sport 4 and past is clearly welcomed information for the defending champs. Tkachuk was a key issue within the crew’s run final season, registering 22 factors in 24 playoff video games, and he’s off to a quick begin in three video games thus far this yr, securing three objectives and an help up to now. Florida at the moment leads the collection 2-1.
In the meantime, Guentzel, who seems fantastic and able to go for Sport 4, continues to construct upon his spectacular playoff historical past. As Benjamin Pierce points out on the team’s website, the 30-year-old is tied with Edmonton ahead Leon Draisaitl for the seventh-highest goals-per-game common in NHL playoff historical past.
