Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk had to leave the ice in the first period of Game 3 of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final after taking a massive hit from Vegas Golden Knights forward Vegas Golden Knights.

Matthew Tkachuk was trying to control the puck in the middle of the ice when Kolesar came in to lay a brutal check on the Panthers forward. Tkachuk initially tried to stay in the game and even played during the power play that came right after Kolesar's hit but was eventually accompanied to the locker room.

Tkachuk was not able to return to action in the first period, which ended with the score tied at 1-1.

Via Dan Rosen of NHL.com:

It's 1-1 after one. Matthew Tkachuk did not return in the first period after he left the game following Florida's power play. He didn't play the final 12:44. We'll see if he returns for the second. He was hit hard by Keegan Kolesar at 5:56.

Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers have their backs against the wall, having lost the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas. They entered Game 3 looking to hit back and prevent a 0-3 series deficit, and it's only going to get harder for them to achieve that goal if Tkachuk will not be able to see action the rest of the way.

The 25-year-old Tkachuk leads the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 22 points on the strength of 10 goals and 12 assists. He has two points so far in this series against the Golden Knights.