Lightning’s Hagel suspended after dangerous hit on Panthers’ Barkov
The NHL came down hard on Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel Friday, suspending him for Game 3 after a brutal hit on Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
The incident happened during the third period of Florida’s 2-0 win on Thursday night. Barkov was chasing down a loose puck when Hagel slammed him into the boards – even though Barkov never had possession of the puck.
The hit sent Barkov crashing to the ice. He didn’t return to the game.
“It’s a pretty clear violation,” said one veteran NHL analyst. “You can’t blast a guy who doesn’t have the puck.”
The league’s safety office didn’t mince words. They called it an “extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent” – the kind of hit they’re trying to eliminate from the game.
Hagel tried arguing that he thought Barkov was about to play the puck. The NHL wasn’t buying it.
“The rules are simple – if a player doesn’t have the puck, you can’t hit them,” the league explained. “It’s on the hitter to know that.”
Now both teams are dealing with the fallout heading into Saturday’s crucial Game 3.
The Lightning will definitely be without Hagel. But the bigger question is whether Barkov can play.
Florida’s captain didn’t practice Friday, though coach Paul Maurice hasn’t officially ruled him out yet.
That’s huge for the Panthers. Barkov’s been their secret weapon in shutting down Tampa’s star scorer Nikita Kucherov through the first two games.
If Barkov can’t go, the Panthers will need Sam Bennett and Anton Lundell to step up big time in the middle of the ice.
The series is tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Saturday afternoon in Tampa.
