They don’t call it the Battle of Florida just because the Panthers and Lightning come from the same state. They called it a battle because sparks fly more often than not when these two divisional rivals face off in the playoffs. After losing 6-2 against the Panthers and being unable to equalize in Game 2, it was only a matter of time before Tampa got scrappy. Unfortunately for the Panthers, captain Aleksander Barkov was on the receiving end.

Although Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel had to take a five-minute penalty for his massive hit on Barkov, it shook the entire Panthers team to their foundation. So much so that even seasoned NHL star Sam Bennett thought it was hard to watch. “Yeah, it’s tough to see. Any time your best player goes down like that, it’s obviously tough to lose him,” the upset and angry goalscorer admitted in a post-game interview.

Bennett didn’t look cheerful despite being the one to put the game away after scoring an empty-netter in the final seconds. His disdain became palpable while answering the next question. “I don’t think we expected anything less,” the 28-year-old said. However, he didn’t like what he saw while watching Aleksander Barkov look instead, while slowly skating off the ice.

“You know, we just hate them more and more every time we play them. So it makes for good hockey,” added the NHL player. On the flip side, Tampa Bay’s coach thought the refs handing Hagel a five-minute penalty was a bit too much. “Five minutes in a 1-0 game with eight minutes to play, nine minutes to play, that’s a tough situation to be in,” John Cooper said post-game.

However, despite winning a second straight game against their arch rivals, the Panthers now have something to worry about. “He’s the captain. He’s our leader,” said Anton Lundell. And just like Sam Bennett, he agreed that losing their leader could be a serious problem. You may be wondering about the extent of the NHL star’s injury. Unfortunately, the Florida coach’s response didn’t inspire confidence.

Aleksander Barkov’s uncertain future

Just like the Florida Panthers players, the media asked coach Paul Maurice about the hockey veteran condition. However, Coach Maurice had nothing more than a one word reply regarding any updates on the injury. “Nope,” said the Stanley Cup-winning coach. His answer could indicate that the team just didn’t know the extent of Barkov’s injury at that point.

However, that also means the coach wasn’t sure that the major hit did result in a major injury. Maurice was far more forthcoming about giving details about Barkov’s previous injury earlier this month. The coach explained that Aleksander Barkov’s injury was “not that serious” when he missed three games in the first week of April.

What’s more? Barkov has been a crucial driving force behind the Panthers’ success this season. The captain finished second on the team’s points list, 71 points (20 goals, 51 assists) in 67 games. No wonder players like Sam Bennett, Sergei Bobrovsky, and others feel that losing Barkov for the rest of the series could cost them dearly.

Yet, with that being said, the Florida Panthers remain firmly in control of the series after taking a 2-0 lead against Tampa in their backyard. They’re halfway to winning the Battle of Florida, and now Tampa will travel to Amerant Bank Arena at Sunrise. And with alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk back in action, they are confident too.

“We’ve got depth. We’re going to step up and do a little bit extra,” if Aleksander Barkov can’t play, said Bobrovsky, who had to face 19 shots as his team put on a defensive clinic in Game 2. Now, only time will tell whether the Panthers’ captain returns for Game 3.