Tkachuk doesn’t practice on eve of must-win Game 5, but Panthers not ruling him out
Matthew Tkachuk did not practice Monday on the eve of the Florida Panthers’ must-win Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena, but traveled with the team and still could suit up Tuesday when the Panthers will try to extend the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
The superstar right wing was severely limited by an apparent upper-body in the third period of Florida’s 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 on Saturday, clearly still ailing after taking a massive open-ice hit from Keegan Kolesar in the first period of Game 3 on Thursday. Tkachuk played just four shifts in the third period of Game 4, with the bulk of his time coming in the last few minutes after the Panthers emptied their own net to create a 6-on-5 advantage.
Tkachuk took four shots, including one in the final two minutes and not including one great chance he got from the slot right after time expired in the third period. The All-Star winger was then part of an all-out brawl after the whistle, racking up 14 more penalty minutes to bring his series total to 50 — just three short of tying the record for a single Stanley Cup Final.
Both Tkachuk and Florida are staying coy about just what the injury is, and how much it is hampering the 25-year-old American and the severity will determine what kind of role he’ll play for the Panthers’ must-win Game 5 — if he plays one at all. Florida will make an official announcement on his status Tuesday ahead of Game 5.
“Just situational,” coach Paul Maurice said Sunday. “There are players that will play just power plays, there are guys that will stay on for offensive-zone draws, there are different styles of centers that he can play with to put him in a position to be good at what he can be good at.”
The Panthers trail 3-1 in the series and need to maximize contributions to fend off elimination and prevent the Golden Knights from hoisting the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas.
Tkachuk has been one of the signature stars of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, tied for the postseason lead with 24 points and four game-winning goals, including three in overtime. The star forward has 11 goals and 13 assists on 71 shots, with nine power-play points, seven blocked shots and a plus-minus of plus-12.
He played most of the Stanley Cup playoffs next to fellow forwards Sam Bennett and Nick Cousins before left winger Carter Verhaeghe replaced Cousins on the line for Game 4, and every unit he has been part of has been one of the best in the playoffs. When Tkachuk has been on the ice for 5-on-5 play in the Cup playoffs, Florida has outshot opponents 185-129 and outscored them 17-7, with a 171-139 edge in scoring chances and 91-59 advantage in high-danger chances.
Tkachuk is also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, which will be given out June 26 to the league’s most valuable player at the NHL Awards in Nashville.
Panthers’ Luostarinen misses practice again
Forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Nick Cousins, and defensemen Radko Gudas and Brandon Montour also sat out practice Monday in Nevada, although Maurice noted all practices are optional at this point of the season.
Still, it makes it all but certain Luostarinen will miss his fifth straight game.
Forward Eetu Luostarinen will miss his fifth straight game as he continues to deal with a lower-body injury that has kept him out for the entire Final.
The 24-year-old Finn played most of the playoffs as the left wing on the third line before sustaining an injury in the final game of the Eastern Conference finals last month. He practiced once on the eve of the Final on June 2, but wasn’t able to get back for Game 1 and hasn’t skated with the main group since.
Gudas has also dealt with some injuries during this postseason.
Right wing Anthony Duclair, however, did practice after sustaining an injury in Game 4, giving the Panthers one positive bit of injury news.
Panthers host another watch party
As it has for every road game in the Final, Florida will host another watch party at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Tickets for the watch party again cost $10, benefiting the Florida Panthers Foundation, and parking is free. Seating is general admission, and concessions and merchandise stores will be open.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Game 5 begins at 8 p.m. in Las Vegas.
