RALEIGH, N.C. -- Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart will not return to Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final because of a lower-body injury he sustained in the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand was ejected from the NHL playoff game series opener on Tuesday after fighting with D Shayne Gostisbehere.

The Panthers have been up in playoff series and blown leads. They have also been behind and series and come back. The key, coach Paul Maurice says, is handling emotions.

After Florida’s 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Tuesday at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center, the Panthers are 6-2 in road games this postseason. They have outscored opponents by 20 goals (38-18) on the road.

Florida began the Eastern Conference Final in the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 5-2 victory, adding to its success from 2023.

Seth Jones wanted a trade to a contending team. Chicago dealt him to Florida, and he has become a key Panther during their playoff run.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and several players will speak to reporters Tuesday after their Stanley Cup quest was crushed Sunday by the Florida Panthers.

They have been fully immersed in the Panther way for about 10 weeks now, receiving a crash course of how to play the team’s grind-it-out style that frustrates opponents before being fully thrust into Florida’s latest playoff run. “It’s a hell of a lot better to be on this side of it,” Jones said with a smile Sunday.