As closely contested and high-caliber as the Lightning’s postseason series against the Panthers has been, it has gone awry in terms of hits. The streak of questionable hits started in Game 2 when Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel laid out Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, even though the latter was not in possession of the puck. The hit ruled out Barkov for the rest of the game. And while Hagel was handed a five-minute major, that was far from the only repercussion that he had to face for his reckless play.

That’s because the NHL Department of Player Safety conducted a review of said hit and suspended him from Game 3, stating that he delivered “an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent.” Needless to say, Tampa Bay weren’t exactly thrilled. But they didn’t miss Hagel too much as they beat the Panthers 5-1 at the Amerant Bank Arena. Things were finally looking up. But as Brandon Hagel took the ice for Game 4, hoping to help his side level the series, he found himself involved in another brutal hit. The only difference was that this time he was on the receiving end.

The hit came from Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. With just under 9 minutes left in the second period, Ekblad hit Hagel with a high elbow, sending the Lightning forward out of the game. The hit caused immediate controversy—no penalty was issued on the play, and Ekblad even scored the tying goal later in the game. And things turned from bad to worse for the Lightning as it was confirmed on Tuesday that Brandon Hagel won’t be skating up for Game 5. “He’s [Brandon Hagel] not playing tomorrow [Game 5]. There it is, and you know why,” informed coach Jon Cooper. As for the remainder of Game 4, things didn’t really cool down after that, courtesy of Ekblad’s teammate Niko Mikkola.

Shortly after Ekblad’s hit, Mikkola got a handed a major and a game misconduct for boarding Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons just seconds into the third period. However, Girgensons, though shaken, was not as unlucky as Hagel, as he was able to continue in the game. Meanwhile, the defenseman was fined $5000—the maximum allowed under CBA—for the offense.

As for Ekblad, he got a call from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, and let’s just say, it wasn’t a good call.

Aaron Ekblad faces the music for hit on Brandon Hagel

The Florida Panthers stand to possibly end the playoff run of their in-state foes, the Tampa Bay Lightning, out of their playoff series in Game 5 on Wednesday evening. But there’s a catch. They’ll have to do that with Aaron Ekblad sitting on the sidelines because the DoPS handed the defenseman a two-game suspension for elbowing Hagel in Game 4. The suspension means Ekblad will be out for Game 5 and either Game 6 or Game 1 of the following round, depending on whether the team advances.

Ekblad, who just got back from a 20-game suspension for testing positive for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, has been a big factor on Florida’s blue line. In the first four games, he’s had one goal, a -3 rating, and played an average of more than 20 minutes per game.

Though Ekblad’s suspension is a disappointment, the Panthers possess the depth to adjust. Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov will probably pick up more playing time. They also have Matthew Tkachuk, whose feisty plays also got both fans and insiders talking. One thing’s for certain. Game 5 of the Battle of Florida is going to be a curious one, with the Lightning looking to climb out of a 3-1 hole, and the Panthers eyeing a quick entry into Round 2.