Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel has been suspended one game for his hit on Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 of their Battle of Florida. As a result of the suspension, Hagel will miss Game 3 of the series, which the Florida Panthers lead 2-0.
The hit happened midway through the third period, when Hagel crushed Barkov while he wasn’t looking, leaving him down on the ice for a while. Hagel was given a five-minute major for interference but, interestingly, was not handed a game misconduct.
Barkov managed to get off the ice under his own power, but he looked visibly dazed from the hit and appeared to be in a lot of pain. After exiting the game, he did not return, and Panthers head coach Paul Maurice did not provide an update on his injury or status afterward.
Related: Panthers Out Muscle Lightning to Go Up 2-0 in Series
As for Hagel, his absence in Game 3 will be a tough blow. He has been one of the top performers for the Lightning this season and with the team down 2-0 in the series, they need him more than ever. In 82 games this year, he scored 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points — a career-high across the board.
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