Heart leaves following excessive hit from Oilers ahead Draisaitl halfway by third interval
©<\/span> Peter Joneleit\/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
SUNRISE, Fla. —<\/strong> The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead within the Stanley Cup Ultimate on Monday, however the standing of star middle and captain Aleksander Barkov<\/a>\u00a0is murky.
Barkov didn\u2019t play the ultimate 9:28 of the Panthers\u2019 4-1 win in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Financial institution Area after taking a excessive hit from ahead Leon Draisaitl<\/a>,\u00a0who was given a two-minute penalty for roughing.
Barkov was down for a minute or so after the hit earlier than being helped off the ice and to the dressing room.
Requested for an replace on Barkov\u2019s standing after the sport, Panthers coach Paul Maurice gave a one-word reply: \u201cNone.\u201d
When requested if he thinks the NHL Division of Participant Security ought to take a look at the hit, he mentioned, \u201cThe League seems at each hit.\u201d
When requested a second time about his emotions on the hit, he mentioned, \u201cThis isn\u2019t \u2018The Oprah Winfrey Present.\u2019 My emotions don\u2019t matter.\u201d
When requested if he held Barkov out of the remainder of the sport for precautionary causes, Maurice reminded the media the rating was 2-1 on the time of the damage, saying, \u201cI\u2019m not holding him.\u201d
Draisaitl mentioned the play was not out of frustration and that it was \u201conly a hit.\u201d
\u201cI don\u2019t assume there was something soiled about it,\u201d Draisaitl mentioned. \u201cI don\u2019t know, perhaps I bought him a bit excessive, however definitely not any intent to injure or something like that.\u201d
NHL Tonight discusses the damage to Aleksander Barkov
Barkov\u2019s teammates mentioned little in regards to the play, with ahead Matthew Tkachuk<\/a>\u00a0saying, \u201cI’ve no response or touch upon that.”
No matter how they really feel in regards to the play, dropping Barkov for any video games within the Ultimate can be a giant blow for the Panthers, who’re searching for their first Stanley Cup championship.
Voted the Selke Trophy winner as the very best defensive ahead within the NHL this season, Barkov has been a key a part of shutting down Oilers famous person forwards Connor McDavid<\/a>\u00a0and Draisaitl by two video games. McDavid had one help and three pictures on purpose in Recreation 2, and Draisaitl was held and not using a level on two pictures. Earlier than the Oilers misplaced 3-0 in Recreation 1 on Saturday, McDavid (31 factors; 5 objectives, 26 assists) and Draisaitl (28 factors; 10 objectives, 18 assists) had mixed for 59 factors by 18 playoff video games.
In truth, the NHL\u2019s high three scorers within the postseason — McDavid, Draisaitl and Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard<\/a> (28 factors; six objectives, 22 assists) — have mixed for 2 assists within the Ultimate. Bouchard additionally had an help Monday.
Barkov had two pictures on purpose in 17:47 of ice time in Recreation 2 after having two assists in 21:06 of ice time in Recreation 1.
With the sequence shifting to Edmonton for Video games 3 and 4, the Oilers could have the final change and can be capable to try to get favorable matchups for McDavid and Draisaitl\u2019s strains.
Ahead Evan Rodrigues<\/a>, who scored two objectives within the third interval Monday, appreciated how the Panthers responded after seeing Barkov get injured.
\u201cI feel we rallied,\u201d Rodrigues mentioned. \u201cWe did what we needed to do to win the sport. You by no means wish to see your captain go down, however I assumed everybody did an incredible job, targeted in, bought the job carried out.”
Florida ahead Kyle Okposo<\/a>\u00a0mentioned, \u201cI imply, yeah, clearly you do not wish to see anyone get harm. However I assumed we did a superb job of sticking with it. And we discovered a manner. It was an enormous purpose by \u2018Roddie\u2019 there to interrupt the dam on the [power play] there (to make it 3-1 at 12:26) and I simply thought we did an incredible job within the third interval after that.\u201d
\ud83d\udd39 Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers<\/a><\/p>\n