Matthew Tkachuk's Status for Panthers vs. Golden Knights Game 5 TBD Due to Injury

The Florida Panthers are facing a 3-1 series deficit ahead of Tuesday's Stanley Cup Final Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights, and there's some uncertainty as to whether their top player will be on the ice.

Per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, Panthers coach Paul Maurice said the status of Matthew Tkachuk will not be revealed until Tuesday night. Tkachuk is dealing with an apparent upper-body injury.

"Update will be tomorrow," Maurice said Monday. "You'll get all that big information tomorrow night."

Tkachuk didn't skate in Florida's optional practice at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. During Saturday's 3-2 Game 4 loss, he logged just 16 minutes and 40 seconds of ice time and skated only four shifts in the third period. He had a chance to tie the game with a shot near the crease as time expired, but he couldn't convert.

After the loss, Tkachuk was asked what it would take for him to miss Game 5 and he said: "That's a tough question. I don't really want to talk about that right now."

Tkachuk leads the Panthers with 11 goals and 24 points this postseason. He was the engine behind the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final, notching four game-winning goals, three of which came in overtime.

Maurice indicated on Sunday that there's a chance Tkachuk will take the ice in a limited role in Game 5.

"There are players that will play just power play. There are guys that will stay on for offensive zone draws. There's different styles of center and winger that you can play with to kind of put them in a position to be good at what they can be good at," he said.

The Panthers are attempting to become just the second NHL team ever to rally from a 3-1 deficit in a Stanley Cup Final. Florida will need Tkachuk to be in the lineup if it hopes to keep its season alive.