Key Panthers Contributor Out for Game 3 of Conference Finals vs. Hurricanes

The Florida Panthers have the Carolina Hurricanes in a tight spot in the Eastern Conference finalsbut if they want to take a 30 series lead, they'll have to do it without one of their stars.

Panthers center Sam Reinhart will miss Game 3 of the series Saturday evening, coach Paul Maurice announced Saturday.

Reinhart is nursing a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

"Its a player that touches all parts of your game, a critical part of our power play," Maurice said via Tom Gulitti of NHL.com .

"Its a significant player out of our lineup, for sure, and we have gone through other significant (absences)." Reinhart, 29, has been a star for Florida since coming over from the Buffalo Sabres via trade in July 2021.

He scored 39 points and tallied 42 assists this season, finishing in the top 10 in the former category for the second straight year.

Reinhart sustained his injury Thursday on a collison with Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho.

He is scoreless so far this series after recording five points in the conference semifinals against the Toronto Maple Leafs..

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