Florida Panthers
Ekblad Knocked Out of Heated Game Between Panthers and Lightning
Aaron Ekblad was knocked out of a heated preseason game between the Panthers and Lightning. What is his injury status?
The Battle of Florida rivalry wasted no time in reigniting. Tempers flared Friday night when Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin delivered a massive hit on Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad — then followed it up with a crosscheck to the face and a flurry of punches that took Ekblad out of the game.
Aaron Ekblad will not return to tonight’s game.
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) October 5, 2025
The sequence got both teams completely riled up, and the online frenzy was fairly heated as well. “The Battle of Florida is picking up right where it left off,” one fan wrote, as clips of the incident quickly made the rounds on social media.
Panthers broadcasters criticized Tampa Bay’s physical approach, saying Florida had “too much class to play like that,” but many fans weren’t buying it. “It’s hilarious hearing the Panthers announcers say that,” one user posted. “The only reason Tampa brought those guys up is because of Hagel and Ekblad.”
Others pointed out that past meetings between these two teams were bound to lead to a game like this, particularly in the preseason, when some players are trying to stand out for reasons beyond on-ice production. “I’m sure you said the same when Greer punched Hagel in the head on Thursday,” another fan replied.
The heated exchange between Sabourin and Ekblad likely only suggests this rivalry is far from over. As for Ekblad’s status, the Panthers announced he would not be returning to the game. If more injury news is released or Sabourin faces supplemental discipline, we’ll be sure to post an update.
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