Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is dealing with one other suspension after knocking Lightning winger Brandon Hagel out of Sunday night time’s Recreation 4 with a excessive hit. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet was the primary to report.
It’s a phone hearing with the Department of Player Safety, so he’s ineligible to be suspended for longer than 5 video games.
Halfway by means of the second interval, Ekblad got here down the halfwall to ship a examine to Hagel. As an alternative of constructing body-on-body contact, Ekblad raised his forearm to contact Hagel’s head, forcing the latter into concussion protocol.
He didn’t return to the sport, nor was Ekblad penalized on the play, in what many chastised as a missed name. Florida scored three targets within the remaining 4 minutes of the sport to win 4-2 and take a 3-1 sequence lead, with Ekblad scoring the game-tying objective.
Whereas the hit itself doubtless warrants a second search for supplemental self-discipline whatever the context, the size of Ekblad’s doubtless pending suspension might be elevated if DoPS determines it was a retaliatory hit. Hagel had simply returned to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for interference in opposition to Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Ekblad wasn’t the one Panthers defenseman to put a controversial hit in Recreation 4. Niko Mikkola was ejected from the sport early within the third interval and given a serious penalty for boarding Lightning ahead Zemgus Girgensons. He gained’t face a suspension, although. DoPS announced Tuesday he’s been fined $5,000 for the play however gained’t have a listening to.
The 29-year-old Ekblad had simply returned from a 20-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances guidelines in Recreation 3 of the sequence. His objective was his first level since returning. He posted a -3 score throughout Video games 3 and 4 whereas averaging 21:16 of ice time.
