The Florida Panthers are not the most popular team in the NHL. They constantly play on the edge, with at least one controversial incident seemingly every game. And Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes was no exception—Aaron Ekblad is now under fire from fans for a very questionable incident involving Jackson Blake.
To make a deep push for the Stanley Cup, you need to play physical—and sometimes mean—hockey. The Florida Panthers have made that their trademark. But sometimes, they cross the line into playing straight-up dirty hockey. And it’s no surprise, given the presence of players like Brad Marchand, Matthew Tkachuk, and Sam Bennett on the roster.
During their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Panthers were involved in several controversial incidents that had fans fuming. For example, Sam Bennett elbowed goalie Anthony Stolarz in the head, causing him to throw up on the bench. In another moment, Matthew Tkachuk appeared to attempt a knee-on-knee hit on Mitch Marner as the final whistle blew.
Aaron Ekblad under fire
So, it was no surprise that tensions were high in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Panthers and Hurricanes. The most talked-about moment came when Shayne Gostisbehere launched a deliberate shot at Brad Marchand from his defensive zone, leading to the Panthers veteran being ejected. But Aaron Ekblad also found himself at the center of controversy, just as Jackson Blake scored Carolina’s second goal of the game. Blake was in front of the net, scoring on a rebound, when Ekblad came out of nowhere and delivered a late elbow to his head.
The hit was dirty on its own—but the optics were even worse considering Ekblad had already been suspended for two games for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in Game 5 of the first-round series. On social media, fans were quick to criticize Ekblad:
“That suspension sure taught him,” one fan said sarcastically.
“The NHL will surely hold him accountable, right? Right?” another added.
“Crazy how one team always seems to have a problem with ‘accidentally’ hitting people in the head,” a third commented.
“How many blatant elbows to the head can go unpunished? Tune into the next Panthers game to keep count!” a fourth said.
READ MORE: Brad Marchand ejected from game, Shayne Gostisbehere slammed
