06/13/23: Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Tkachuk is out for tonight’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that Tkachuk is dealing with a “serious upper-body injury,” meaning if the Panthers manage to extend the Stanley Cup Final to a sixth game, it’s possible Tkachuk misses that contest as well.
06/11/23: After a Game 4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Florida Panthers are regrouping and looking for answers as they try to be the first team to win a Stanley Cup Final after being down 3-1 since the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs. It appears the injury bug is finally taking a toll, as both Matthew Tkachuk and Anthony Duclair were clearly playing banged up in last night’s contest.
Head coach Paul Maurice provided no official update on Tkachuk and Duclair during media availability this morning, The Athletic’s Michael Russo said. However, he mentioned that both players would undergo rehabilitation and evaluation today while the rest of the team will travel back to Vegas.
It’s not a great sign – especially for Tkachuk, who was kept off the ice for an extended period last night after taking an open-ice hit from Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar in Game 3. It limited his ice time to just 16:40 in Game 4 despite the Panthers not holding a lead the entire game, his lowest of the Final aside from Game 2 when he received a 10-minute misconduct penalty during play.
Both players have multiple points in the Final but were held off the scoresheet in Game 4. Duclair did not come out for the start of the third period in Game 4 with an undisclosed injury but would later return.
nothing against the Florida Panthers, but let’s go Vegas golden knights
The Knights did a great job of being physical when they needed to, but absorbing hits to make plays when they needed to. Florida has taken some bad penalties as a result.
Go Vegas!! I can’t say I feel bad for Tkachuk he’s tried to put out key players in each series.
Awesome, we might finally be able to see a hockey game for once.
Denisenko has some skill, could actually contribute
Ya his zero goals in 26 regular season games gives a lot of hope………but you never know who the hero will be in the playoffs
Anyone who tries to play with a broken sternum has my respect. That’s a big ouch!