Matthew Tkachuk Gets Major Penalty for Dirty Hit on Jake Guentzel

The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 this afternoon in Game 3, picking up their 1st win of the series and ensuring there will at least be a Game 5 back on their home ice next week.

Late in the 3rd period just seconds before Anthony Cirelli's empty-net goal, Tampa's Jake Guentzel was leveled by Florida's Matthew Tkachuk; he had just fed Cirelli a pass and didn't see Tkachuk skating toward him.

Immediately, that drew a scrum on the ice; Guentzel made it back to his skates a moment later and didn't appear any worse for wear.

Tkachuk was assessed a 5-minute major and thrown from the rest of the game, which had only minutes remaining and the outcome all but officially in the books.

Lightning fans are going to want to see Tkachuk suspended for Game 4, as Tampa's Brandon Hagel was given a 1-game suspension for his violent hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov in the 3rd period of Game 2.

Guentzel scored in the 1st period for the Lightning, tying what was initially a 1-0 lead for the Panthers on a goal from Tkachuk.

With his goal, his 2nd of the postseason, Guentzel has now scored 8 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against Sergei Bobrovsky; a handful came when Guentzel played for the Pittsburgh Penguins against Bobrovsky's Columbus Blue Jackets.

Game 4 in the Battle of Florida is Monday night; Game 5 will be Wednesday night.