Lightning's Brandon Hagel, back from suspension, leaves game after Aaron Ekblad hit
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, in his first game back from a one-game suspension, left Monday's action after an unpenalized hit from a Florida Panthers player.
Hagel has been suspended for Game 3 of the first-round series for interference after his hard hit knocked Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2.
Monday, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad skated toward Hagel and caught him high with his forearm in the second period of Game 4. Hagel fell backward and hit his head on the ice. He appeared to be woozy when he got up and headed to the dressing room.
Hagel, who had 90 points in the regular season, hadn't returned at the beginning of the third period.
Ekblad hits Hagel, who goes to the locker room. No call on the play, somehow pic.twitter.com/fwhRkvkCgI
— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 29, 2025
No penalty was called on the play, which left Lightning coach Jon Cooper irate on the bench.
Play was stopped for an injury timeout, and when it resumed, Tampa Bay's Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak scored 11 seconds apart. That set a Lightning record for fastest two playoff goals.
That wasn't the only rough hit in the game. Florida's Niko Mikkola was ejected for boarding Zemgus Girgensons in the third period. Girgensons was down on his knees when Mikkola hit him.
Niko Mikkola receives a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding on Zemgus Girgensons. pic.twitter.com/XNWwW5EKSm
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 29, 2025
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brandon Hagel injury update: Lightning star leveled by Aaron Ekblad
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