Jesse Puljujarvi of the Florida Panthers has been suspended for two games following an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mitchell Chaffee. The incident, which occurred during a match penalty in their recent 5-1 loss, has now led to Puljujarvi missing the first two games of the Panthers' playoff series against the Lightning.

The hit took place late in the third period, resulting in immediate controversy as Chaffee went down and a scuffle broke out. Puljujarvi's season has been tumultuous; after beginning the year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he joined the Panthers mid-season and managed to record 10 points over 31 games.

Brandon Hagel notched the decisive goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their recent 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators, marking his second consecutive game with a go-ahead score. The Lightning swept their two-game series against Ottawa, moving into a tie for third in the Atlantic Division. Joining Hagel on the scoresheet were Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, Mitchell Chaffee, and Erik Cernak, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Michael Amadio scored the lone goal for the Senators, who saw Anton Forsberg turn away 26 shots.

The game saw Guentzel open the scoring with a power play goal, leading to a tie when Amadio redirected a shot from Thomas Chabot. However, Hagel's breakaway goal restored the Lightning's lead before Point and Cernak sealed the win with their contributions. Despite a missed power play opportunity that could have shifted momentum, the Lightning held off a 2-on-1 rush against Vasilevskiy, showcasing their defensive strength. The Lightning have an impressive record of 7-1-1 at home in their last nine games and will look to build on this as they head towards their next challenges against Detroit.

Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring for the Tampa Bay Lightning before being ejected for kneeing Matthew Tkachuk, as the Lightning triumphed over the Florida Panthers 4-0.

Jake Guentzel and Mitchell Chaffee also contributed goals, while Brandon Hagel added an empty-netter. Anthony Cirelli and Victor Hedman each provided two assists, and Jonas Johansson achieved his first shutout of the season.

The Panthers struggled on the power play, going 0 for 4, and could not capitalize on their chances despite a stronger second period.

Nikita Kucherov scored early but was ejected for kneeing Matthew Tkachuk as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers 4-0 in a heated matchup.

Jake Guentzel, Mitchell Chaffee, and Brandon Hagel also contributed to the Lightning's victory, with Jonas Johansson achieving his first shutout of the season. Despite the loss, the Panthers had a strong start but struggled to capitalize on their chances.