Going after Aaron Ekblad and other Florida Panthers stars came at a price for Jon Cooper and the Tampa Bay Lightning. As the NHL’s Department of Player Safety conducted hearings with players involved, a veteran minor-league player in Tampa has been suspended.

The NHL season wouldn’t feel right if there weren’t bad blood already boiling between the Panthers and Lightning. The Battle of Florida is alive and well—and the two organizations have yet to meet in an official game.

Following Scott Sabourin’s roughing call against Ekblad during the preseason finale, the Department of Player Safety stepped in, handing the forward on the Lightning a multi-game suspension.

“Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin is suspended four games for roughing against Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad,” as a

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