The Florida Panthers are set to have a vital boost in Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes, as Sam Reinhart is close to returning from injury.
Will Sam Reinhart Play Against Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5?
The NHL Playoffs are entering their latter stages as the Conference Finals begin to drawer to a close and the Florida Panthers will travel to Carolina for their fifth encounter against the Hurricanes.
One man that has made a huge impact on the Panthers’ season is Canadian star, Sam Reinhart, who has been absent from the last two matches against the Hurricanes through injury.
During Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the 29-year-old took a major impact to his lower body/hip area from Carolina’s Sebastian Aho.
This knock forced Reinhart off the rink after just under 15 minutes of the first period and the Canadian has been unable to feature in the following two games.
However, Panthers fans were handed some positive news over their right winger, as he was seen on the ice during Florida’s practice session on Tuesday 27 May.
Reinhart was not the only player to return to the rink after dealing with injury, as Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer both put on their skates after missing multiple matches for the Panthers.
Despite this return, Reinhart is still being monitored on a ‘day-to-day’ basis and Paul Mauric, head coach of the Florida Panthers, revealed he is still keeping tabs on the Canadian’s situation.
Maurice said: “We’ll see how they are tomorrow. It’s what we expected and what we hoped for. We’ll get them on the ice again tomorrow.”
As previously mentioned, Reinhart has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the season for the Panthers scoring 39 goals and accumulating 81 points in the regular season.
His performances in the postseason were also on track to be one of the best from a player in an NHL playoff campaign over recent years, hitting 11 points in 14 appearances (4G + 7A).
Who Is Injured For Hurricanes and Panthers In Game 5?
Reinhart is not the only player dealing with an injury for the Panthers, as the previously mentioned duo of Mikkola and Greer are also doubts for Game 5.
Both Panthers players were forced off in Game 3 against the Hurricanes with undisclosed injuries and Mikkola’s strong run in the playoffs was halted – scoring five goals and 13 blocks in 15 games.
As for the Hurricanes, Jesper Fast, Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker are all likely to miss Game 5 against the Panthers, with Fast already missing the entirety of the season.
Can Florida Panthers Win NHL Eastern Conference Final Playoff In Game 5?
The Florida Panthers have once again shown why they are one of, if not, the best team in the NHL during their Eastern Conference Final against the Hurricanes.
After three games the current Stanley Cup winners stormed into a comfortable 3-0 series lead and looked to be heading to a complete whitewash victory before the Hurricanes fired back with a 3-0 victory in Game 4.
So going into Game 5, the Panthers can reach their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with a win and could face a defining series against the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars.
