Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will miss at least one game against the Lightning, depending on the next match result, after the NHL Department of Player Safety handed him a two-game suspension for elbowing Brandon Hagel in the head during Game 4. The hit occurred midway through the second period of Monday’s 4–2 Florida win over Tampa Bay.

Game 4 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning produced one of the wildest sequences of the Stanley Cup playoffs through Monday and an all-time record. The game started slowly with a scoreless first period.