Panthers' Sam Reinhart Ejected vs Ducks For Dirty Hit
Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Panthers winger Sam Reinhart was ejected for a dirty hit on Saturday
  • Reinhart went knee on knee with Isac Lundestrom in the first period
  • Keep reading for the full story and video of the questionable play

The Florida Panthers walked away with a 3-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, but it didn’t come without controversy.

Sam Reinhart deliberately lined up Ducks forward Isac Lundestrom on the forecheck in the first period and caught him with a dangerous knee-on-knee hit, which instantly sent the Swede to the ice in pain. Reinhart was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Take a look:

A very dangerous play from Reinhart. As you can see, Lundestrom’s teammates instantly went after the Canadian. There’s a good chance he’ll get a fine and possibly even a suspension for that hit. Lundestrom ultimately exited the contest with a lower-body injury and never returned.

Before Reinhart was ejected, he had just 4:34 minutes of ice time. The Panthers didn’t miss him though, with Gustav Forsling, Jesper Boqvist, and Anton Lundell all getting on the scoresheet after he departed.

Reinhart is having a fantastic campaign for the defending Stanley Cup champions, leading the team with 27 goals and 24 assists for a total of 51 points. The 29-year-old has never received a game misconduct in his lengthy NHL career. If he is suspended, that’ll also be a first.

Florida is playing well once again in 2024-25 as they pursue a title defense, sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 27-17-3 record. Reinhart signed a massive eight-year extension with the organization last July after a career season in 2023-24 where he put up 94 points, including 57 goals.

The Panthers are back in action on Tuesday against the Ducks again. We’ll have to see what the NHL has to say about the Reinhart hit.