Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart has been ruled out for Saturday night’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. He is considered day-to-day.
Reinhart, 29, exited early in Game 2 on Thursday after a collision with Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, which ended with him sliding awkwardly into the boards. He appeared to be in significant pain as he made his way back to the bench.
Following the game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said Reinhart would be evaluated the next day, with an update expected Saturday. That update confirmed the team will be without one of its top performers in a pivotal game.
Reinhart led Florida with 81 points (39 goals, 42 assists) in 79 regular season games this year. While his output was slightly below last season’s 94-point campaign—when he earned an eight-year, \$69 million contract—he remains a vital part of the team’s offense. So far in the playoffs, the Vancouver native has contributed 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 14 games.
Game 3 is set for an 8 p.m. ET puck drop at Amerant Bank Arena. The Panthers aim to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, while the Hurricanes hope to shift momentum after dropping the first two games on home ice.
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