Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov may play in Game 3 of the first round against Tampa Bay on Saturday after missing the end of Game 2 due to injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel will miss Game 3 of Tampa's first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series with the Florida Panthers after delivering an illegal hit on Florida's captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2, the league announced on Friday. Barkov was forced to leave Thursday's game after the hit and did not return.

Florida on Thursday held its own during the time it played without Barkov. The Panthers held the Lightning to just three shots on goal in the third period, including just two in that 10-plus minute stretch with Barkov sidelined to keep the game at 1-0 until Sam Bennett sealed the game with an empty-netter with 3.4 seconds left in regulation.