During Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final, the Florida Panthers faced off against the Carolina Hurricanes, and things took a turn when Panthers forward Sam Reinhart picked up a lower-body injury. This has got everyone wondering if he’ll be able to play for the rest of the series. So, the incident happened late in the first period while Reinhart was bringing the puck into the offensive zone during a power play.

He took a hip check from Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho at 14:49 of the first period, and it made Reinhart’s left leg bend in a pretty awkward way. He did make a quick return for a 12-second shift before the period wrapped up, but he didn’t come back for the second period and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Reinhart has really stepped up for the Panthers this season, racking up 81 points during the NHL regular season and adding another 11 points in 14 playoff games.

Not having him around could really shake up the Panthers’ offense as they try to keep their momentum going in the series. It seems like the franchise is definitely feeling the heat. On X, hockey reporter Renaud Lavoie reported: “Sam Reinhart OUT, Jesper Boqvist IN.”

With Reinhart not playing, Jesper Boqvist is stepping in for Game 3. Boqvist is set to hit the ice on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Evan Rodrigues. In the regular season, Boqvist put up 23 points with 12 goals and 11 assists over 78 games.

During the playoffs, he’s played in nine games and has managed to score one goal and provide one assist. Fans are really looking forward to how his versatility and experience will keep the team’s momentum going as they try to build on their series lead. Boqvist has shown that he’s really interested in playing hockey with this team, saying, “It was a good opportunity for me. Obviously, I enjoyed every second of it. It helps getting to play with two of the best players in the world. I just tried to move my feet, and tonight it worked.”

Now, he’s got to step up and take on a whole new responsibility because filling Reinhart’s shoes is no small feat. So, how worried was the coach when he heard about his star forward’s condition?

Florida Panthers coach knows the depth of this situation

“It’s a significant player out of our lineup, for sure,” Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said about Sam Reinhart’s early exit from Game 2. “We have gone through other significant ones … you have to be able to survive. You have to have one guy go down and still have a chance — or you don’t have the depth that you think you have.”

Reinhart has definitely made a noticeable impact on the team. But you know, Maurice really believes in the franchise. Yeah, the Panthers are definitely that team that, in Game 2, even with Reinhart leaving early, it didn’t really seem to faze them at all. The team pulled off an impressive 5-0 win against the Hurricanes.

Players like Sam Bennett, who scored two goals and added an assist, along with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who notched his third shutout of the postseason, really showcase the team’s depth and their knack for adapting. Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how they do in Game 3!