SUNRISE, Fla. — After a busy night on the ice, the Florida Panthers started Friday's practice with a light workout.
Notably on the ice was defenseman Aaron Ekblad. The big news out of today's practice is Ekblad is expected to play Saturday in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was suspended 20 games for violating NHL's drug policy.
WATCH: Coach Paul Maurice shares expectations for Game 3
Fellow defenseman Niko Mikkola said he is happy to have him back.
"Big thing, for sure, on the ice. He's a great player, been a part of the group for a long time," he said, "and in the locker-room, also loved guy, big character, so it's great to have him back."
Mikkola said the team made adjustments while having to play without Ekblad. Adjustments that have the Cats up 2-0 in the best of seven series against their instate rivals.
"We still had guys who had to step up and I think they did a great job," he said.
Coach Paul Maurice said his clear expectation for Ekblad is to slide right back into his role.
"We'll put him right back with his partner and right back in all the situations," he said. "We'll get him up to speed as fast as we can."
Maurice said the playoffs are on another level.
"There's going to be about a 10-minute kind of adjustment to playoff hockey, because it's just different," he said. "So, we'll make that adjustment when he goes."
With the series lead, right wing Evan Rodrigues said the team's mindset shouldn't change.
"The next game is always the biggest one and that's been our mindset going all the way back to last year," he said. "I'm sure for the guys here, even the year before, it's one game at a time. Tomorrow's game is the biggest one."
Maurice said Aleksander Barkov has not been ruled out from Game 3, but he also hasn't been cleared to play. Barkov took a big hit from Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the third period of Game 2.
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