Florida Panthers star winger Matthew Tkachuk briefly left Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after a knee-on-knee collision late in the first period with Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov. Tkachuk returned about two minutes into the second period to a roaring round of applause from the home crowd.

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice and taken to the locker room following a first-period collision with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov in Monday's 4-0 loss, but he later returned in the second period to a standing ovation.

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk had to be helped off the ice and taken to the locker room following a collision with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov during Monday night's game. Kucherov crashed full-speed into Tkachuk's right leg late in the first period,