Florida star forward Matthew Tkachuk will not be suspended for the Panthers’ matchup with the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series in Sunrise, according to a report on Sunday.
Tkachuk was whistled for a five-minute major because of his hit on Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel in Game 3 on Saturday, and the NHL looked into the play for possible further disciplinary action.
The league’s Department of Player Safety based its decision in part on Guentzel having recently touched the puck, and that Tkachuk’s hit was not to the head, ESPN reported Sunday, citing sources. The play happened with five minutes remaining in the Lightning’s 5-1 win.
Further, the NHL did not think Tkachuk’s hit rose to the level that led to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel being suspended for Game 3. Hagel hit the Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 and was given a five-minute major for interference. On that play, the contact came when the puck was well past Barkov.
Tkachuk is tied for the team lead in points (four) and goals (three) in the series, after racking up 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in the regular season.
The Panthers lead the series 2-1.
