No NHL playoff matchup is easy, and the Florida Panthers knew their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning would be a battle. After taking a 2–0 lead and returning to Sunrise, there was hope for a possible sweep of their state rivals. However, a 5–1 loss in Game 3 served as a wake-up call, leading captain Aleksander Barkov to deliver a strong message to Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, and the rest of the team.
The Panthers couldn’t extend their lead over the Lightning to an almost guaranteed series win with a 3-0 advantage. Florida is still up in the first round matchup with Tampa, but their latest defeat was a clear wake-up call for the current NHL Stanley Cup champions.
Although Tkachuk scored the first goal in the game, Marchand, Barkov, and the Cats were unable to hold onto the lead, allowing five unanswered tallies to the Bolts, who delivered a statement triumph in enemy territory.
The message has been sent from both sides, Tkachuk avenged Brandon Hagel’s controversial, blindside hit on Barkov in Game 2 with a blow of his own, laying the body on Jake Guentzel, setting the tone for what’s set to be a heated Game 4 on Monday night.
Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers warms up prior to a game against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Barkov and the Panthers would have much preferred to set the tone with a win rather than a thunderous hit, but the team captain made sure to remind his teammates of the importance of regrouping ahead of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round.
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“We will learn a lot from this game,” Barkov stated postgame, via NHL.com. “We had a great start, did the right things. But they are a great team, played really well and won the game. All we can take from this is learn.”
No hearing for Tkachuk
With over 5 minutes left in the third period and down 4-1, the Panthers emptied their net, in hopes of a miraculous comeback. The prayer wasn’t answered, and Tampa delivered the final dagger. However, Tkachuk allowed his frustration to get the best of him, as he rocked an unadvertent Guentzel with a very controversial shoulder hit which earned him a major penalty for interference.
Pandemonium erupted on the ice as the Lightning took matters into their own hands, seeking retribution for the brutal hit on their star player. While Hagel was handed a one-game suspension for his blindside hit on Barkov, Tkachuk will face no further discipline, as the NHL decided against a hearing for the Panthers’ forward.
Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers in action against the Ottawa Senators.
How the tables have turned
After Hagel’s hit on Barkov, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice made a clear statement, condemning the illegality of Hagel’s actions. Following Tkachuk’s altercation with Guentzel, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper echoed Maurice’s words, repeating the same sentiment Maurice had expressed after Game 2.
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“The only players we hit are the ones with pucks,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the 5-1 win in Sunrise, quoting Maurice’s exact words.
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The rivalry has reached a boiling point, with the stakes higher than ever and chirps now flying not only between the players but also the head coaches. This is what the Stanley Cup Playoffs are all about—it’s time to shine and claim the bragging rights to the state of Florida. Marchand and Tkachuk will certainly make their presence felt as soon as the puck drops on Game 4, with the Panthers looking to bounce back after their latest setback.
