Florida Panthers Matthew Tkachuk helped off the ice after collision with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice and taken to the locker room after a collision with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov during Monday night’s game.

Kucherov lunged into Tkachuk’s right leg late in the first period, causing Tkachuk to fall and grab his knee. He was down for a few minutes until a team trainer helped him off. He didn’t seem to put any weight on the leg.

Kucherov was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game foul for the frame.

Tkachuk is second on the team with 13 goals and 22 assists in 30 games this season.

The Lightning led Florida 3-0 at the end of the first period thanks to goals by Kucherov, Jake Guentzel and Mitchell Chaffee.

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