Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov left Game 2 after a hit from Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel, which resulted in a five-minute major penalty for interference. The Panthers won the game 2-0, taking a 2-0 series lead, with Barkov contributing three assists in the series before his exit. The Panthers’ defense and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s 19 saves were crucial to the victory, while Lightning coach Jon Cooper expressed surprise at the major penalty given to Hagel.
