Panthers reaction to Barkov’s injury

The Florida Panthers will be happy about their 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final, but there was a dark cloud hovering over them following their Game 2 victory. 

With 9:28 left in regulation, Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl threw an elbow to the head/jaw of Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

Barkov immediately fell down to the ice and didn’t get up until the trainers came to assist him. 

He would not return to the game, while Draisaitl was given a two-minute minor penalty on the play.  

The final score was 4-1, but when Barkov went down, the Panthers lead was just 2-1. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was asked if Barkov could have returned had the game not been 3-1 or 4-1. 

“There’s 9:28 on the clock, I believe, in a 2-1 game. I’m not holding him,” Maurice responded.

As for Maurice’s thoughts on the hit, he was asked twice, but kept his opinions to himself.

“The league looks at everything,” Maurice said when asked if he thought the league would review the hit. “They’ll look at every hit.”

Maurice was asked again for his opinion, this time with more pushback from a reporter. 

“This isn’t the Oprah Winfrey show. My feelings don’t matter,” he answered.”

A few of Barkov’s teammates were asked postgame about their opinions on the hit, but none of them made any comments regarding the play. 

In the Edmonton room, Draisaitl was also asked about the hit.

It’s just a hit. I don’t think there’s anything dirty about it,” he said. 

As for any updates on Barkov’s status, Maurice said there was “none.”