2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Aaron Ekblad Takes Out Brandon Hagel with High Hit in Game 4
SUNRISE — Aaron Ekblad is fresh off one suspension, but may be facing another after a high hit on Brandon Hagel during the second period of Monday’s Game 4.
Hagel, who was suspended for Game 3 after he hit Sasha Barkov up high, was taken out along the boards by Ekblad with 8:34 left in the second period.
There was no penalty called on the play, infuriating Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper.
Hagel had just played the puck, which would mean no interference.
Yet Ekblad did appear to catch Hagel with a forearm to the head.
Ekblad hits Hagel, who goes to the locker room. No call on the play, somehow pic.twitter.com/fwhRkvkCgI
— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 29, 2025
The Panthers led 1-0 at the time — but that did not last.
Even though there was no power play, the Lightning ended up scoring twice within a span of 11 seconds soon after Hagel left the ice to take a 2-1 lead into the third period.
Ekblad ended up scoring the game-tying goal with 3:47 remaining — with Seth Jones getting the go-ahead goal 11 seconds later in a 4-2 win.
Florida now leads the best-of-7 series 3-1.
Game 5 is Wednesday in Tampa.
2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 5
FLORIDA PANTHERS @ TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Panthers Lead Best-of-7 Series 3-1
- When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
- National TV: ESPN2
- Streaming: Panthers+
- Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
- Series Schedule — Game 1: Florida 6, @ Tampa Bay 2; Game 2: Florida 2, @ Tampa Bay 0; Game 3: Tampa Bay 5, @ Florida 1; Game 4: @ Florida 4, Tampa Bay 2; Game 5 at Tampa: Wednesday (ESPN2/Scripps), 7:30; Game 6* at Florida: Friday, May 2 (TBA); Game 7* at Tampa: Sunday, May 4 (TBA).
- Regular Season Series: Tied 2-2
- All-time Regular Season Series: Florida leads 79-53-19, 10 ties
- All-Time Postgame Series: Tampa Bay Leads 2-1 (won 2021 first-round, 2022 ECS); Florida d. Lightning 4-1 in 2024 first-round.
Looked like an elbow to the chest
Forearm shiver to the gourde—no question. Score on Barkov settled.
He should miss a few games and shekels for this— the equalizer.
well played—well paid…and we win the spectacular “Battle of the 11 seconds”!! WHAT A GAME!!!
It better not be two games, one .. probably, Parros has already set the bar
Et tu, brute? It was a push!
I’ve watched and watched and not seeing any head contact from Ekblads elbow or forearm. The head contact occurs when the back of Hagels head hits the ice. Unless there is an angle that shows it that I have’nt seen, Ekblad shoves hagel down by a shoulder push and Hagels helmet hits the ice. You can see Hagel reach for his head after it hits the ice.
Modifying my own response … From the more straight on angle I see Hagels head move when Ekblad contacts his shoulder. He may have gotten a piece of his chin or jaw or it may have been head movement from the shoulder push. Still believe the damage was done when Hagel hit the ice but Ekblad caused it so he’s probably looking at a game. Hopefully not more than 1. Hagels hit on Barkov was far more viscous with no puck play involved.
Man, that looks like a game in the luxury suite for sure for Ekblad. Hope not as he was huge for the Panthers tonight.
Tremendous win. What grit. Best win of the season so far. And that’s without the biggest guns on offense scoring. Just a terrific effort from all four lines tonight.
Go Cats! Well done.
Yeah, I think he’s getting at least one for that, but honestly, for who he did it to, …..money well spent.
We won. That was outstanding. We kept playing and gutting it out. Good on them. But what is missing here and I can’t say “best game all year for” is our offense is no where to be found. In fact, look at the Tampa series and remove goals from Defensive players and it’s a different series. Super glad we are finding ways to win but we have to find our missing offense. We have way too many talented players like Reinhart, Verhaeghe, Rodriguez, shit even Barkov who just are not producing. We are missing way too many shots on net… Read more »