Evan Rodrigues Returns for Practice After Taking High Hit; Game 5 Status Unclear
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said that Evan Rodrigues has not been ruled out for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he has not been cleared either.
Evan Rodrigues rejoined the Florida Panthers for practice after taking a high hit from Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in Game 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.
His status for Game 5 remains uncertain after his participation in the team’s optional practice on Tuesday.
“Nothing yet,” coach Paul Maurice said when asked for an update on Rodrigues.“It was just the step-up program. He will skate tomorrow morning and we’ll make a decision. He hasn’t been ruled out, but he hasn’t been cleared.”
Rodrigues did not return to the game after Ekman-Larsson delivered the hit away from the puck 4:51 into the third period of Florida’s 2-0 victory on Sunday night. Ekman-Larsson was given a two-minute interference penalty upon review from officials after it was initially called a five-minute major.
The former Panthers defenseman was neither fined nor suspended for the hit on Rodrigues.
Rodrigues has three assists in nine postseason games this season after leading Florida in both goals (4) and points (7) in its seven-game Stanley Cup Final victory over the Edmonton Oilers last season.
The 31-year-old forward had 15 goals and 32 points in 82 regular season games this year.
Florida could turn to 21-year-old rookie Mackie Samoskevich to fill his shoes on the top line next to Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart. He has an assist in four postseason games so far, picking up an assist less than four minutes into his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Tampa Bay.
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Pucks and Palms Podcast Episode 33: Expected outcome but an unexpected journey?
The Panthers have clawed their way back to even their series with the Maple Leafs, though they dug themselves quite a hole to start. Colby and I talk about how the Panthers have worked back into the series, how they changed the neutral zone mess from the first few games and more, including: