Tkachuk returns following collision with Kucherov

SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice and taken to the locker room following a collision with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov during Monday night’s game.

Tkachuk later returned in the second period to a standing ovation, and jumped onto the Panthers’ power-play unit in his first shift back.

“We wouldn’t let him back in the game if we didn’t think he was OK,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said in his in-game interview on Scripps Sports. “But he’s tough.”

Kucherov crashed full-speed into Tkachuk’s right leg late in the first period, causing Tkachuk to fall and grab at his knee. He remained down for a couple minutes until a team trainer helped him off. He didn’t appear to put any weight on the leg.

Kucherov was assessed a five-minute major penalty, and after a officials’ review, a game misconduct for the hit.

Tkachuk, in his third season with the club, is second on the team with 13 goals and 22 assists in 30 games this season.

The Lightning led Florida 3-0 at the end of the first period thanks to goals by Kucherov, Jake Guentzel and Mitchell Chaffee. It was the back end of back-to-back games for the two rivals, as the Panthers defeated the Lightning, 4-2, Sunday night in Tampa.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.