Why Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk won't be punished for hit on Jake Guentzel
The Tampa Bay Lightning are doing their best to scrap their way back into their first round series against the Florida Panthers, but it's not going to be easy to knock the defending champs out early. However, after losing the first two games on the road and surrendering an early goal in Game 3, the Lightning stormed back to get a 5-1 win and get back in the series.
During the game, controversy struck when Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk turned around and blindsided Jake Guentzel with a brutal hit. Tkachuk was assessed a five-minute major for the hit and hockey fans wondered if he would be suspended for Game 4.
However, Tkachuk is not going to face a suspension for three reasons, according to Elliotte Friedman. The star forward did not make contact with Guentzel's head and made the hit after Guentzel had touched the puck, helping the league lean away from a suspension. Finally, the hit was not as hard of a hit as the one delivered by Brandon Hagel on Aleksander Barkov earlier in the series that led to Hagel being suspended from Game 3.
The Panthers will certainly be relieved that Tkachuk isn't facing any further penalty. He is one of the top players in the league and has fresh legs after just recently returning from injury before the playoffs. Florida still has another chance to take full control of the series in Game 4, and Tkachuk will be on the ice to do so.
Still, the Lightning have the heart of a champion after winning the Stanley Cup in both 2020 and 2021, and many of the key players from those teams are still on the roster. The Lightning will also be playing with plenty of confidence after such a convincing win even without Hagel in the lineup.
Regardless of the lack of suspension for Tkachuk, there is plenty of bad blood between these two in-state rivals that have had a number of playoff battles in recent years. That should make for a dramatic conclusion to this series no matter which way it goes.
Lightning's Jake Guentzel Sends Strong NHL Message After Matthew Tkachuk Hit
The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning series intensified on Saturday after a controversial hit involving Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk and Lightning's Jake Guentzel during Game 3.
The Lightning earned a 5-1 victory at Amerant Bank Arena to cut Florida’s series lead to 2–1, but the late-game incident drew much of the postgame attention.
With the Lightning ahead 4-1 late in the third period and on the play in which Tampa Bay scored the final empty-goal to make it 5-1, Tkachuk delivered an open-ice hit on Guentzel shortly after he released the puck.
Guentzel, who remained in the game, spoke about the incident afterward, appearing on "NHL on TNT."
"I passed the puck and it felt like a long time after I got hit," Guentzel said. "I’m sure the league’s going to take a look at it.
"We know the history of what’s happened the last couple games. I’m sure they’ll do their job."
The controversy followed a similar situation from Game 2, when Lightning forward Brandon Hagel delivered a high hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, forcing him out of the contest with an injury.
Hagel’s hit drew a major penalty and a one-game suspension, adding more scrutiny to Tkachuk’s play after Game 3 ended in a Lightning victory.
Meanwhile, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper referred back to comments made by Panthers coach Paul Maurice after the controversial Game 2 hit, using his exact remarks.
"The only players we hit are the ones with pucks," Cooper said.
Game 4 between the Panthers and Lightning is scheduled for Monday night in Sunrise, Florida. No team has won a home game in the series through three outings.
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