Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and teammate Seth Jones worked together to block a shot from Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brandon Hagel during the opening period of Game 4 in their first-round playoff series on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Sunrise, Florida.
The rivalry between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers reached another boiling point during Game 4 of their NHL playoff series. Florida secured a 4-2 victory on Monday night, but it came with more rough play and growing hostility between the two teams.
The game turned even more intense when Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel was forced to leave the ice after taking a hard hit from Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad. With just over eight minutes left in the second period, Ekblad delivered a forearm to Hagel’s chin, sending him flat on his back. No penalty was given, and Hagel did not return to the game.
This hit came just days after Hagel himself made headlines for knocking Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2 with a controversial hit. That move earned Hagel a one-game suspension, causing him to miss Game 3. He had just returned to the lineup for Monday’s clash.
The pattern of aggressive play has been a theme in this series. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk received a five-minute major for a late hit on Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel in Game 3. Unlike Hagel, Tkachuk avoided suspension.
The rough tone of the games hasn’t eased up. In the third period of Monday’s match, Florida’s Niko Mikkola was tossed from the game after a dangerous hit on Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons, who was already down on the ice. This marked just another chapter in a series that has been full of aggressive plays and rising frustration.
So far, the last two games have seen a total of 19 penalties, highlighting how heated things have become. The tension isn’t just on the ice—it’s also being felt behind the bench.
Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, clearly frustrated after his team gave up a lead in the final period, didn’t want to field more questions about controversial hits.
“I’m tired of talking about hits every game,” Cooper said during the post-game interview. “Why are you asking me this? If anyone has something to say, say it now.”
On the other side, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice kept his response short and focused.
“I saw the hit. I’ve seen ones like it before,” Maurice said. “We’ll do our job as coaches. The refs will do theirs. The league will handle the rest. I’m not going to use this moment to make a statement.”
With both teams showing no signs of backing down, the series promises more drama as it continues. The physicality has raised concerns, not just about game outcomes, but also player safety, as the battles on ice grow more brutal by the game.
