Panthers’ Sam Reinhart exits Eastern final Game 2 against Hurricanes with injury after Aho hit

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Florida forward Sam Reinhart left the Panthers’ 5-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night in the Eastern Conference final with a lower-body injury and didn’t return.

Coach Paul Maurice said Reinhart would be examined Friday, the day before the series shifts to Florida with the defending Stanley Cup champions aiming to take a 3-0 series lead.

Reinhart was shaken up late in the first period when he was hit by Carolina’s Sebastian Aho as Reinhart carried the puck into the offensive zone. Aho hit Reinhart near the left knee, with the leg bending awkwardly. Reinhart made his way back to the bench and was grimacing in pain before heading to the locker room.

Reinhart’s injury came as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers had raced to a 3-0 first-period lead in Game 2 after winning 5-2 on Tuesday night in the series opener.

On the Carolina side, defenseman Jalen Chatfield sat out for the third straight missed game going back to the Game 5 finale in the second-round series against the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes also saw defenseman Sean Walker and forward Seth Jarvis apparently shaken up during the course of the lopsided loss.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour had said Chatfield is considered day to day and wants to play. He has been skating with the team, including before Thursday night’s game but remained a scratch. The Hurricanes tweaked the lineup in response to the Game 1 loss, moving forward Mark Jankowski into the lineup instead of Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

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