Panthers’ Reinhart, Mikkola, Greer All Expected to Play in Game 5

RALEIGH, N.C. — With another chance to claim their spot in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season, the Florida Panthers will likely get back a few important reinforcements for Wednesday night’s potential series clincher against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Panthers forwards Sam Reinhart, and AJ Greer and defenseman Niko Mikkola are all expected to play in Game 5, per head coach Paul Maurice. All three did not play in Florida’s 3-0 Game 4 loss on Monday night.

“They’re all different kinds of leaders,” Maurice said when asked about getting the three players back. “With Sam [Reinhart] it’s the preparation and the mental part of the game. Niko’s [Mikkola] got an intensity that he brings to our room, to the bench and to the game that he plays. And AJ [Greer] is a physical player. He brings that physicality leadership in our room as well.”

Reinhart, Florida’s top scorer in each of past two seasons, missed Games 3-4 with a lower-body injury after Sebastian Aho hit him in the leg in Game 2 win last week in Raleigh. In the event he’s good to go, Jesper Boqvist — who scored the momentum swinging go-ahead goal in the third period of Game 3 (first of five Florida goals within 9:08 of the third) — is expected to come out.

Mikkola (undisclosed) has made a huge impact this series for the Panthers with 2 goals (both coming in Game 3) and 4 points from the blue line (2-2-4). He left midway through the third period of Game 3 after slamming his shoulder into the boards. Uvis Balinskis is the expected scratch in a likely Mikkola return.

“He’s been great all year for sure, especially in the playoffs,” Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said of Mikkola. “He’s a huge part for us and he plays big minutes.”

As for Greer (undisclosed), he would likely replace Nico Sturm and return to his usual left wing spot on Florida’s fourth-line.

The Panthers were in dire need of an offensive spark in their 3-0 loss in Game 4. Paul Maurice shuffled the top-9, putting Brad Marchand on the first-line with Aleksander Barkov and Evan Rodrigues late in the second period, while Boqvist went down to the third-line — where he spent a large portion of the regular season — with Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.

Lines are not confirmed for Game 5 as the Panthers held an optional skate on Wednesday morning in Raleigh (Reinhart, Greer and Mikkola all took part). But it is expected the Panthers will return to their usual rotations, with Marchand back on the Lundell line, and Reinhart returning with Barkov and Rodrigues.

Maurice confirmed there would be no minute restrictions for any of the players returning to the lineup from injury.

Puck drop for Wednesday night’s Game 5 will be 8 p.m. EST from the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

Panthers Projected Lines 

Rodrigues – Barkov – Reinhart*

Verhaeghe  – Bennett – Tkachuk

Luostarinen – Lundell – Marchand

Greer* – Nosek – Gadjovich

Forsling – Ekblad

Mikkola* – Jones

Schmidt – Kulikov

Bobrovsky (Projected Starter)

Vanecek

*Did not play in Game 4