The Lightning will have to rely on their defensive depth to fill the void left by Cernak for at least another game.
There's also good news in his case.
Per Jon Cooper, the defenseman isn't ruled out for the series.
Cernak is a significant part of the Bolts' playoff success. In 74 postseason games with the Lightning, he has tallied 19 points and a +13 goal differential.
With only one game remaining in Bunting's suspension, it will be interesting to follow the timeline of Cernak's recovery.