Panthers’ Reinhart Out for Game 3 vs. Hurricanes Due to Injury

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart will miss Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes due to a lower-body injury sustained during Game 2. The game is scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

Reinhart, a key player for the Panthers, was injured in the first period of Florida’s 5-0 victory over Carolina on Thursday. He was hit by Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho while entering the offensive zone on a power play. The 29-year-old limped off the ice after appearing to be in pain.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice announced that Reinhart is considered day-to-day and confirmed that Jesper Boqvist will take his place in the lineup. “It’s a significant player out of our lineup,” Maurice said of Reinhart. “He contributes to all aspects of our game, including the power play.”

Reinhart has been a significant contributor throughout the playoffs, scoring 11 points in 14 games, including four goals and seven assists. He led the Panthers in the regular season with 39 goals and 81 points, earning him a spot as a finalist for the Selke Trophy.

Throughout the playoffs, the Panthers have shown resilience in the face of injuries to other key players like Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad. Maurice expressed confidence in the team’s depth, stating, “You can’t have one guy go down and still have a chance, or you don’t have the depth that you think.”

Boqvist, who has been a healthy scratch for the past three games, has previously shown he can perform under pressure. He recorded two points in nine playoff games after a solid regular season where he scored 12 goals and 11 assists in 78 games.

“I’ll try to get my legs moving as soon as possible and keep it simple,” Boqvist said about stepping into a more prominent role. “It should be fun.”

Reinhart’s absence will be felt, especially considering his skill and versatility on both offense and defense. However, the Panthers aim to take a 3-0 series lead against the Hurricanes and continue building momentum in their playoff run.