Lightning pumped to get Hagel back for Game 4 of Eastern 1st Round

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- In the video, Brandon Hagel stands as the first person to greet his Tampa Bay Lightning teammates as they leave the ice, embracing each one in turn, punctuating it with a “Let’s go!” as they file by him and into the locker room.

The fact that Hagel is wearing a hoodie and short and not a Lightning uniform in the clip, shot in the wake of their 5-1 win against the Florida Panthers in Game 3 on Saturday, is because of a hit on Aleksander Barkov at 9:49 of the third period of Game 2. Barkov left the game after the hit and did not return; he did play in Game 3.

The hit earned Hagel a major penalty at the time and a one-game suspension for interference for a “high, hard body check that makes some head contact on Barkov,” according to the video release by the NHL Department of Player Safety on their decision. They noted Barkov was never in possession of the puck and was not eligible to be checked “in any manner.”

The suspension came as Hagel’s team stared down the barrel of a game on the road and a 3-0 series deficit. Instead, the Lightning rebounded.

They used Hagel’s absence -- and the sheer necessity of winning the game -- as motivation, seeing their offense and their penalty kill soar, as they pushed the Eastern Conference First Round to a 2-1 deficit with Game 4 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, SCRIPPS, ESPN, SN, TVAS).

And now they get him back.

“I think he’s going to have a great game,” forward Zemgus Girgensons said Sunday. “I think him sitting out a game will build up his emotions. I think he’s going to be flying tomorrow.”

It has been a breakout season for Hagel, who had an NHL career-high 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games, averaging 20:45 of ice time and being a factor in all facets, including power play and penalty kill. He has become, too, an emotional barometer for the team.

“He’s a fiery competitor, that kid,” coach Jon Cooper said. “He’s brought so much to our team since the day we acquired him. You know it ate him alive probably to have to sit out a game. We were on the fortunate side that we were able to win, but he’s obviously had an impact on the series, in a positive way, take away the hit.

“He’s a big part of our group. Just his want-to-win attitude. I think he was like living the game while it was going on, and he wasn’t even playing. But you love in that your players. I think any coach would want to take a Brandon Hagel on their team.”

Hagel introduced himself to anyone not already paying attention during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, where he fired both punches and verbal challenges for Canada, fighting Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk in the first United States-Canada showdown and announcing his team was playing “for a flag, not the cameras,” in a shot at the U.S.

It’s exactly what the Lightning have seen from him in the three-plus seasons he’s played for them since acquiring him from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 18, 2022. His numbers have gone up each season since he arrived; his impact too.

“We went out there and played for him,” center Anthony Cirelli said of Game 3. “He’s one of us; he’s our family in here. He wasn’t able to go and we just talked about, just got to step up and take it game at a time and go out there and win that one for him.

“He’s going to be back and he’s going to be buzzing in this next one.”

In two games against the Panthers, Hagel has no points and three shots on goal. The team struggled on the penalty kill in Game 1, allowing Florida to go 3-for-3, but has not allowed a power-play goal in the two games since.

Hagel’s presence should help even more.

“He’s been unbelievable, obviously, all season,” Cirelli said. “Just what he brings to our team. Obviously, the offensive side -- he can score, he can make plays -- but just the energy he brings, the physicality, how hard he plays. He’s good defensively. He’s always in the right spots. He’s just another gamer. He’s a guy that will do whatever it takes for his teammates to help the team win. He’s been unbelievable all year.

“Obviously [stunk] not having him last game, but he’s excited and he’ll be ready to go. Just that energy, that positivity, all over the ice. He brings guys to the fight. … He’s a guy that does it all.”