Aleksander Barkov exits game after massive hit from Brandon Hagel

The Lightning have struggled against the Panthers in the playoffs over the last two years. They felt like they had a good chance this year with home-ice advantage, but they’ve surrendered that with two losses at Amalie Arena. It’s a difficult way to win back momentum in the series, but Hagel may have done that if Florida loses their captain for any time.

Barkov isn’t the most offensive player on the Panthers’ roster. However, he is one of the best two-way forwards in the league, which is integral against the Lightning. He battles against Nikita Kucherov and has been doing a good job of neutralizing his effectiveness so far in this series. Florida has some other defensive weapons on their roster, but none are as good as Barkov.

Panthers’ repeat hopes depend on Aleksander Barkov’s health

The Panthers had plenty of concerns entering these playoffs as they battled injuries all year. Their most prominent injury was Matthew Tkachuk, who suffered an injury at the 4 Nations Face-Off and hadn’t played over the season’s final two months. He was able to return for Game 1, but the question is whether he is at 100% health.

Barkov had two assists in Game 1, and the Panthers played their best game in weeks. It’s a scary lineup when everyone is healthy, as their third line features former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand. Losing Barkov will affect some of the depth, but they have enough to cover his loss if it is short-term. The concerns for the Panthers begin if he misses significant time, which the Panthers will have to determine in the lead-up to Game 3.