About the only thing to go wrong for the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final was the loss of one of their top defencemen.
Nikko Mikkola, who scored twice in Florida’s 6-2 drubbing of the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, exited the game in the third period after an awkward fall into the boards.
The Panthers blue liner lost an edge making a defensive play in front of his own net and crashed hard into the boards with his right shoulder.
Mikkola skated off the ice holding his shoulder and headed straight to the team’s locker room. He wouldn’t return for the remainder of the game.
Thankfully for the Panthers, head coach Paul Maurice said after the game he expects Mikkola to be “OK.”
The 29-year-old defenceman has three goals and two assists in 15 post-season games for the Panthers.
With the Game 3 win over the Hurricanes, the Panthers now have a 3-0 series lead and are one win away from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Game 4 is set for Monday in Sunrise.
