Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel has been suspended for Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Florida Panthers for interference on Aleksander Barkov.
Hagel delivered an illegal hit on Barkov 9:51 into the third period of Thursday’s Game 2, with the Panthers leading 1-0. The Bolts forward was assessed a major penalty for interference.
Barkov left the game and did not return.
From the NHL’s Department of Player Safety:
As the video shows, Barkov forechecks into the Tampa Bay zone. Racing for a chipped puck into the corner with Hagel supporting from the middle of the ice. The Lightning player wins the race and chips the puck behind the net.
Barkov, having never touched the puck, moves to pursue the puck behind the net. Long after the puck is gone, Hagel loads up and delivers a high, hard body check that makes some head contact on Barkov. This is interference.
It is important to note that Barkov is never in possession of the puck on this play and is therefore not eligible to be checked in any manner. While we understand Hagel’s argument that he is approaching the play as if Barkov will play the puck, the onus is on Hagel to ensure that the player he is hitting is eligible to be checked. Here, Barkov is not eligible to be hit and Hagel still intentionally delivers an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting upponent with sufficient force for supplemental discipline.
Hagel had not previously been fined nor suspended by the NHL.
This is the first suspension issued this postseason by the league, but the second with playoff implications. Florida’s Jesse was suspended two games for a hit that came in the regular season finale against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Florida Panthers lead the Lightning in their best-of-seven series 2-0.
Major Penalty to Lightning’s Hagel for Hit on Panthers’ Barkov
