Dec 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period at Amalie Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/afb8770a-8233-4b16-90d7-8c1591b38be5.jpeg] Dec 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period at Amalie Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images) The first-round playoff series between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning has had no shortage of physicality. On Tuesday, the NHL Department of Player Safety made yet another ruling in regard to a play that occurred during the series. Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Tampa's Brandon Hagel during Game 4 on Monday night. There was no penalty called on the play, which led to Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper having a heated interaction with one of the officials on the ice. "One, two, three, four," Cooper yelled while pointing to each of the four officials on the ice. "There's four of you. Holy f---!" Hagel has since been ruled out of Game 5. "He's not playing tomorrow," Cooper said Tuesday. "And you know why." The big, controversial hits have been a trend in this series. In Game 2, Hagel caught Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov with a high check during the third period that cost him a one-game suspension. Barkov did not return following the hit, but was fine for Game 3 two nights later. During that Game 3, Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk was essentially sent off for good, receiving a five-minute major in the final minutes of the game, after hitting Tampa's Jake Guentzel at center ice. The difference between the hits and supplemental discipline is that Guentzel had just touched the puck while Barkov never had it, the Department of Player Safety takes that into account. As the series has progressed, both head coaches, Tampa's Jon Cooper and Florida's Paul Maurice, have been asked about the hits. At first, the coaches had a cheeky back-and-fourth as Cooper repeated a Maurice quote about Florida players only hitting guys with the puck. Now, as the series has progressed, it seems the time for lightheartedness is over, based off an interaction Cooper had with a media member after Game 4. "I think it's getting tiresome answering questions about a hit every single game," Cooper said. "I'll ask you, you asked me the question, why are you asking me the question? Do you have anything to say about it? If anybody in here has something, stand up and let me know." When the room remained silent, Cooper said, "Alright, let's move on." As for Maurice, he did address the Ekblad hit when asked about it postgame, but didn't have much to say about it. "I think I want to be consistent with what I've said on Hagel," Maurice said. "I saw it. I've seen it before, saw it last year. And then we'll all coach, the players will play, the refs will make the calls, and the league will do with it what they will. I don't want to use this platform to start making my case on this. Everybody's got a job to do. I'll stay in my lane." That lane will take Maurice and the Panthers back up to Tampa for Game 5 on Wednesday night. A win means Florida will advance to the second round for the fourth consecutive postseason. A loss means the Panthers will host Tampa in Game 6 on Friday. Stay tuned. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Panthers' Brad Marchand Has Powerful Message After Game 4 Win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-brad-marchand-has-powerful-message-after-game-4-win] Three takeaways: Brad Marchand having unique kind of positive impact, Panthers earn unorthodox win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-brad-marchand-having-unique-kind-of-positive-impact-panthers-earn-unorthodox-win] Comeback Cats strike Lightning, Panthers win Game 4 to take commanding series lead [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/comeback-cats-strike-lightning-panthers-win-game-4-to-take-commanding-series-lead] 3 Florida Panthers Who Must Step Up In Game 4 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/3-florida-panthers-who-must-step-up-in-game-4] Panthers look to take control of series with Tampa Bay in pivotal Game 4 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/game-4-preview]
