Hagel suspended for Sport 3 on account of hit on Barkov – ESPN

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel was suspended one sport by the NHL Division of Participant Security on Friday night time for what it labeled “a particularly forceful physique verify to an unsuspecting opponent” that injured Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Hagel will miss Saturday’s Sport 3 in Dawn, Florida. The Panthers lead the sequence, 2-0.
Round halfway by means of the third interval of Thursday’s Sport 2, Tampa Bay was on the facility play trailing 1-0. Barkov pressured defenseman Ryan McDonagh deep within the Lightning zone. With the puck clearly previous Barkov, Hagel lined him up for an enormous hit that despatched the Panthers captain all the way down to the ice and thumping off the tip boards.
A penalty was instantly whistled, and the officers conferred earlier than calling a “five-minute penalty.” After evaluation, Hagel was given a 5-minute main for interference. Barkov left the sport with 10:09 remaining in regulation and didn’t return to the 2-0 Panthers win.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper mentioned after the sport that he did not anticipate Hagel to obtain a serious penalty for the hit.
“Refs make the decision. I used to be somewhat stunned it was a 5, nevertheless it was,” he mentioned.
The NHL dominated that the hit from Hagel made “some head contact” on Barkov.
“It is vital to notice that Barkov is rarely in possession of the puck on this play and is due to this fact not eligible to be checked in any method,” the league mentioned.
Within the Friday listening to, held remotely, Hagel argued that he was approaching the play with the anticipation that Barkov would play the puck. But the Department of Player Safety said the onus was on Hagel to make sure that Barkov was eligible to be checked. It additionally decided that the hit had “enough power” for supplemental self-discipline.
It is Hagel’s first suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff video games. He was fined for boarding Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen in Could 2022.
The Panthers held an elective skate Friday. Coach Paul Maurice mentioned Barkov “hasn’t been dominated out but” however “hasn’t been cleared” for Sport 3.
“He is an irreplicable participant,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones mentioned of Barkov. “Among the best centermen within the league. He is tremendous vital to our crew.”
The lack of Hagel comes with the Lightning determined for objectives within the sequence; they scored two objectives in Sport 1 and have been shut out in Sport 2. Tampa Bay was the highest-scoring crew within the common season (3.56), with Hagel contributing 35 objectives and 55 assists in 82 video games.

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