LEAGUES News
Ekblad earns hearing for hit on Hagel, Mikkola fined
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his hit to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in Monday night's Game 4.
Niko Mikkola, who was given given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Zemgus Girgenson, earned a $5,000 fine.
Ekblad hit Hagel with a forearm to the head and was not penalized.
Hagel left the contest after the hit and didn't return. The Lightning winger was suspended one game earlier in the series for interference on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
Game 4 was Ekblad's second contest after serving a 20-game ban for violating the league's performance enhancing substance policy.
Ekblad and Seth Jones scored 11 seconds apart late in the third period to spur a comeback victory for the Panthers. Florida leads the series 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Tampa Bay.
HEADLINES
- VanVleet, Thompson lead way as Rockets rout Warriors to avoid elimination
- Running analysis of Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Panthers into Round 2 with Battle of Florida triumph over Lightning
- Cameron takes no-hitter into 7th in MLB debut as Royals shut out Rays
- Capitals dispatch Canadiens for 1st series win since 2018