Panthers’ Aleksander Barkov leaves Game 2 after high hit by Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov made an early exit from Game 2 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Monday night after being on the receiving end of a high hit by Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.

The incident occurred at the 10:32 mark of the third period of Monday’s game at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Draisaitl was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for roughing on the play.

Barkov, 28, left the game after taking Draisaitl’s right elbow squarely on his jaw. He finished the game with 17:47 of total ice time over the first two-and-a-half periods of gameplay.

Evan Rodrigues scored his second goal of the game with Draisaitl in the penalty box on the ensuing power play to put the Panthers up 3-1. Rodrigues had scored earlier in the period to give the Panthers their first lead of the game.

The Oilers led for part of Monday’s game after defenseman Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring at the 11:17 mark of the first period. However, Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola tied the game midway through the middle frame before Rodrigues put the game to bed with his two goals in the third.

Long-serving Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad sealed the deal for real with an empty-net goal with 2:28 to play in regulation time, giving the hosts a 4-1 lead that would carry to the final buzzer. With the win, the Panthers took a 2-0 lead over the Oilers as the series now shifts back to Edmonton for Games 3 and 4.

Draisaitl, 28, has not yet recorded a point in the Stanley Cup Final, although he is a minus-1 — and, now, has two penalty minutes. It remains to be seen whether the NHL’s Department of Player Safety will elect to dole Draisaitl any supplemental discipline for the hit, particularly if Barkov is seriously injured.

Barkov has been one of the Panthers’ top players throughout the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He registered two assists in Florida’s 3-0 win over the Oilers in Game 1 and now has 19 points in 19 contests this postseason.

With the Panthers looking to push their Canadian opponents to the brink of elimination, the Stanley Cup Final will resume with Game 3 in Edmonton on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET.