Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Was Pulled from G3 by NHL Concussion Spotters Before Return

Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk was taken off the ice in the first period of Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final by the NHL's concussion spotters.

Head coach Paul Maurice confirmed to reporters after the game the league required Tkachuk be examined after taking a hard hit from Keegan Kolesar that knocked him to the ice.

Tkachuk was initially examined by a team doctor on the bench, returned for a shift later in the first period but left the bench area again and didn't return until early in the second period after clearing concussion protocol.

The two-time All-Star played a huge role in the Game 3 win by scoring an empty-net goal with just over two minutes remaining in the third period to tie the game 2-2.

"He's going to come back no matter what," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said of Tkachuk after the game. "He's really tough guy, and he's going to battle through everything."

Verhaeghe's overtime goal four minutes into the extra period gave Florida a potential series-saving victory. The Panthers lost the first two games in Las Vegas by a combined score of 12-4.

Sergei Bobrovsky, who was pulled in the second period of Game 2 after allowing four goals on 13 shots, had a terrific bounce-back effort. He stopped 25 of 27 shots on Thursday and had his highest save percentage in a game since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final in a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Tkachuk's Game 3 heroics add another chapter in the book of this postseason for the 25-year-old. His 24 points are tied with Roope Hintz of the Dallas Stars for the most by any player in the playoffs.

Games 1 and 2 against the Golden Knights marked the first time Florida has lost back-to-back playoff games since Games 3 and 4 against the Boston Bruins to fall behind 3-1 in the first round. The Panthers responded by winning six consecutive games and 11 of 12 overall to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

After securing the franchise's first victory in a Cup Final game on Thursday, the Panthers will look to even the series on their home ice in Game 4 on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.