Tkachuk ejected from Game 3 for late hit on Guentzel

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was handed a five-minute major for a late hit on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel in the waning minutes of Game 3.

The hit occurred right before Anthony Cirelli's empty-netter gave the Lightning a 5-1 lead with five minutes left in the third period.

Guentzel appeared to be OK.

Tkachuk has been suspended four times in his nine-year NHL career, though only once since 2017.

Brandon Hagel was suspended one game for a similar - though arguably more violent - hit on Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 of the series.

"The only players we hit are the ones with pucks," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said postgame, per Panthers reporter Katie Engleson.

Cooper's comment is likely an effort to troll his counterpart Paul Maurice, who said the same thing after Game 2.

Tampa Bay held on for the 5-1 victory in Game 3, cutting Florida's series lead to 2-1.