Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk scratched from lineup with injury, doesn’t play in Game 5 of Stanley Cup Final
LAS VERGAS — Matthew Tkachuk could not play in Game 5 Tuesday night due to an injury suffered two games earlier in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Coach Paul Maurice had said Tuesday morning he knew the status of Tkachuk, but wouldn’t reveal it until game-time. NHL lineups don’t have to be announced until just before the game starts.
Much of the two days leading up to Game 5 was spent wondering about Tkachuk’s status. He went into the NHL’s concussion protocol and suffered an upper-body injury on a Game 3 hit from Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar.
Tkachuk returned that game, and scored the tying goal with 2:13 left in regulation. The Panthers won in overtime. He missed much of the third period in Game 4 and was non-committal afterward about his status for Game 5.
Tkachuk leads the Panthers with 24 points this postseason. He accounted for four game-winning goals, including three in overtime. His 24 points tie him with Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault and Dallas wing Roope Hintz for most points in the NHL playoffs. He had 109 points in the regular season to tie for sixth among league leaguers.
He was replaced in the lineup by Gregori Denisenko, a 22-year-old who played 18 games with the Panthers this year with no goals and three assists.