Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is playing in Game 3, less than 48 hours after he was forced out of Thursday's game by a hard hit.

Florida Panthers captain and top-line center Aleksander Barkov will play in Game 3 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday after missing the end of Game 2 following a late hit away from the puck by Lightning forward Brandon Hagel.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Aleksander Barkov is in the Florida Panthers lineup against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, SCRIPPS, MAX, truTV, TBS, SN, TVAS).