- Although he exited Friday’s game late in the third with an undisclosed injury, Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola is fine, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including team reporter Jameson Olive. The 28-year-old plays a key role on Florida’s back end, logging over 20 minutes a night during the regular season while recording nearly 200 hits. His playing time has dipped slightly in the playoffs but he’s still fourth in defensive ATOI, checking in at 18:30 per game. Through the first two rounds, Mikkola has a pair of points along with 17 blocks and 33 hits.