Sasha Barkov Questionable for Game 3 After Hagel Hit

FORT LAUDERDALE — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said it was unclear whether captain Sasha Barkov would play in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday in Sunrise.

Barkov left Thursday’s Game 2 win in the third period after being caught in the chin on a hit from Brandon Hagel.

Hagel was given a major penalty for interference on the hit — Barkov had never touched a puck cleared by Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh — and has a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety scheduled for today.

The Panthers lead the Lightning 2-0 in the best-of-7 series after beating the Lightning by a combined 8-2 in Tampa.

“He hasn’t been ruled out yet,” Maurice said, “and he hasn’t been cleared.’’

The Panthers will be getting defenseman Aaron Ekblad back for Game 3 after he served the final game of a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program on Thursday.

Florida had a small skate on Friday afternoon at the IcePlex, one in which Barkov did not participate.

Ekblad did skate Friday.

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND: GAME 3

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

Panthers Lead Best-of-7 Series 2-0

• When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• National TV: TBS/truTV
• Streaming: Panthers+, MAX
• Radio: WAXY 790-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 at Florida: Saturday, 1 (TBS/Scripps); Game 4 at Florida: Monday, 7 (ESPN/Scripps);Game 5* at Tampa: Wednesday (TBA); 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.