Mikkola ejected for boarding, Hagel injured on unpenalized Ekblad hit

Things got a little ugly between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers during Game 4 on Monday.

Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola was ejected and assessed a five-minute major for boarding Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons in the third period. Girgensons was already down when Mikkola hit him into the boards.

Prior to that incident, Bolts forward Brandon Hagel was injured on a controversial hit from Panthers rearguard Aaron Ekblad in the second period.

Hagel caught Ekblad's forearm up high and his head hit the ice on the way down. The winger retreated down the tunnel, and Ekblad wasn't assessed a penalty on the play.

Hagel didn't return to the contest.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn't interested in discussing the collision.

"It's getting tiresome answering questions about a hit every single game. I'll ask you," he said while addressing a reporter, per TSN. "You asked me the question, why are you asking me the question? Do you have anything to say about it? If anybody in here has something, stand up and let me know. Alright, let's move on."

The Bolts responded to the hit on Hagel with two goals in a span of 11 seconds - scored by Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak - for the fastest two playoff tallies in franchise history. However, the Panthers also struck twice in 11 seconds in the final frame en route to a 4-2 win.

Hagel missed the Bolts' 5-1 victory Saturday after being assessed a one-game suspension for interfering with Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in the previous contest.

Ekblad, meanwhile, played in just his second game of the series on Monday after he was suspended 20 matchups for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program back in March.

He scored his first goal since late January to make it 2-2 in Game 4.

The Panthers now hold a 3-1 series lead.