Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is expected to play in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning after leaving Game 2 with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Paul Maurice indicated that Barkov will participate in warmups, following his exit from Game 2 due to a hit from Brandon Hagel, who received a one-game suspension. Barkov, who scored 71 points in the regular season and has three assists in the playoffs, will play in the Panthers’ first playoff game at Amerant Bank Arena since their 2024 Stanley Cup Final victory, with the team leading the series 2-0.
