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The Florida Panthers evened their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night, but may have lost a key member of the team.
Two of the three top-line forwards in Florida's lineup suffered knocks in Game 4, with team captain Aleksander Barkov getting drilled from behind and Evan Rodrigues getting knocked by former teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
While Barkov suffered the hit at the very end of the game and received a positive update after it was over, Rodrigues exited Game 4 and did not return.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was able to issue a cautious but optimistic update on Barkov on Sunday.
"I think he’ll be all right,” Maurice said.
Maurice, however, didn't have a full assessment of Rodrigues' status after the 2-0 win, saying only that the forward would need to be re-evaluated Monday.
One day later, Maurice's update remained unclear, if not straight contradicting.
“He’s not ruled out [for Game 5], but not cleared to play,” Maurice said.
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes with center Evan Rodrigues (17).Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Rodrigues was shaken up in the third period following an off-puck collision with his former teammate in a hit that he wasn't aware was coming.
Though Ekman-Larsson was initially assessed a major penalty for boarding, the call was reduced to a minor.
Rodrigues, who has three assists in nine games this postseason, has become a reliable presence in Florida’s forward corps.
The left winger, 31, ranked seventh in hits among Panthers throughout the regular season, appearing in all 82 games and logging 15:13 of time on ice per game.
The Maple Leafs and the Panthers hit the ice for Game 5 at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
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Two of the three top-line forwards in Florida's lineup suffered knocks in Game 4, with team captain Aleksander Barkov getting drilled from behind and Evan Rodrigues getting knocked by former teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
While Barkov suffered the hit at the very end of the game and received a positive update after it was over, Rodrigues exited Game 4 and did not return.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was able to issue a cautious but optimistic update on Barkov on Sunday.
"I think he’ll be all right,” Maurice said.
Maurice, however, didn't have a full assessment of Rodrigues' status after the 2-0 win, saying only that the forward would need to be re-evaluated Monday.
One day later, Maurice's update remained unclear, if not straight contradicting.
“He’s not ruled out [for Game 5], but not cleared to play,” Maurice said.
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Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes with center Evan Rodrigues (17).Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Rodrigues was shaken up in the third period following an off-puck collision with his former teammate in a hit that he wasn't aware was coming.
Though Ekman-Larsson was initially assessed a major penalty for boarding, the call was reduced to a minor.
Rodrigues, who has three assists in nine games this postseason, has become a reliable presence in Florida’s forward corps.
The left winger, 31, ranked seventh in hits among Panthers throughout the regular season, appearing in all 82 games and logging 15:13 of time on ice per game.
The Maple Leafs and the Panthers hit the ice for Game 5 at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
Related: Panthers Issue Huge Aleksander Barkov Injury Update After Game 4
Related: Don Cherry's Theory on Auston Matthews Will Catch Maple Leafs' Attention
Related: Don Cherry's Theory on Auston Matthews Will Catch Maple Leafs' Attention
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