Panthers fans held their breath when star forward Matthew Tkachuk left Game 3 on Thursday. Luckily, all ended up being well.
Tkachuk was forced to leave Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final after he was on the receiving end of a big hit from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar. However, the Florida winger returned later in the contest, scoring the game-tying goal to help the Panthers to a 3-2 overtime win.
It was not clear in the moment as to what the injury to Tkachuk was, however, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice confirmed after the game that Tkachuk was pulled by the concussion spotter and only returned to the contest after he passed the evaluation.
Paul Maurice confirms Matthew Tkachuk was pulled out of the game by the league concussion spotter. Cleared protocol to come back.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 9, 2023
The Sporting News explains the protocols for a concussion in the NHL.
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NHL concussion protocol
The NHL has implemented protocols in order to minimize head trauma in the league. Part of those regulations involves pulling a player from a game if it is deemed that he could have suffered a concussion.
Part III of the NHL's concussion protocol involves the "mandatory removal of a player for an acute evaluation as soon as possible if a concussion is spotted."
Here is what the concussion spotter is looking for and what results in the removal of a player from.
- Lying motionless on the ice
- Motor incoordination/balance problems
- Blank or vacant look
- Slow to get up
- From a blow to the head or upper torso
- After the head makes contact with the ice
- After a player is punched in the head
Once a spotter identifies one of the above as a possibility, then an evaluation with the club physician and/or athletic trainer takes place.
If the Club Physician verifies that the Player experienced loss of consciousness or ataxia from a direct or indirect blow to the head, this shall result in a diagnosis of concussion. If it is determined that the suspected loss of consciousness or ataxia did not result from a direct or indirect blow to the head, the reason(s) for such determination shall be recorded in the SCAT5 App.
It is during this that the player is either diagnosed with a concussion, or he clears protocol and that player can return to the game.
Matthew Tkachuk injury update
Early in the first period of Game 3, Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar laid Tkachuk out in an open-ice hit.
Tkachuk got up and stumbled a bit, but managed to make it to the Florida bench under his own power. Kolesar was not penalized for the hit.
Keegan Kolesar with a hit on Matthew Tkachuk. 😳 pic.twitter.com/qw8kUj1C7g
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 9, 2023
The Florida winger went out for the next shift with the team's top power play minute, but soon got off the ice and went down the tunnel.
It was unclear in the moment what the injury was. Tkachuk did appear to be unbalanced getting up after the collision, which likely triggered the spotter to pull him from the game. However, once he returned to the bench in the second period, he was seen with the trainer working on his shoulder.
Nonetheless, he returned in the second period and played the remainder of the game without any issues.
Tkachuk ended up skating 17:53 in Game 3 and scored the game-tying goal with 2:13 remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime. Carter Verhaeghe potted the game-winning goal to pick up the Panthers first win of the series.
Considering Tkachuk returned to the contest, it's a good sign moving forward for the Panthers, who are eyeing the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.
