BREAKING : Barkov's Expected Status For Game 4 Has Been Confirmed

The Florida Panthers are hoping to get back a major boost to their lineup, and it very well could be soon.

According to Head Coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers are targeting a Game 4 return for Captain and star Center Aleksander Barkov, who had left in the first period of Game 3 of the Eastern Finals vs Carolina with a lower-body injury.

Paul Maurice had already confirmed that Barkov's injury was not severe, and the team hoped to have him back soon.

Maurice said later to reporters that he expects Barkov to be ready for Game 4, but it will come down to how Barkov feels heading into the matchup.

The Panthers look to book their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals in a potential sweep of the Hurricanes in Game 4. The underdog Panthers, looking to be the first 8th seed to win the Stanley Cup since the 2012 Los Angeles Kings.

Barkov, one of the NHL's best two-way forwards, is third in Points for the Panthers with 12 in 15GP in their underground playoff run, making the NHL Playoffs by a single point, positioning themselves as a disruptive force only a game away from pulling off yet another upset, with their biggest surprise of all only games within their grasp.