The Tampa Bay Lightning faced a tough defeat against the Florida Panthers, losing 4-2 in Game 4 of their playoff matchup. The game was overshadowed by a controversial second-period hit by Aaron Ekblad on Brandon Hagel, which left the Lightning forward sidelined for the remainder of the game. Lightning captain Victor Hedman expressed his concerns about the legality of the hit, stating it felt like an elbow, a sentiment echoed in the aftermath.

Head coach Jon Cooper voiced frustration over the ongoing physicality of the series, indicating that the frequency of penalty discussions was becoming tiresome. The game featured a total of 19 penalties, countered by goals from Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak for the Lightning, giving them a temporary lead before Florida scored three unanswered goals to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead.