FORT LAUDERDALE — Sam Reinhart, Nico Miccola and Aji Greer, who returned from injuries, took ice for the Florida Panthers during practice Tuesday.
The trio, an optional skate at the Baptist Health Iceplex, was part of a small group of skaters.
All three players missed Monday’s 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
When Game 5 appears in Raleigh on Wednesday, their position will be in the air.
They are still thought up every day, as they are now.
“We see how they look tomorrow,” coach Paul Maurice said of the trio’s progress. “That’s what we expected and what we wanted. We’ll put it on the ice again tomorrow.”
Reinhart has not taken action since suffering a lower body injury early in Game 2, but Miccola and Greer left the ice in the third season of Game 3 with a private illness.
After pacing the Panthers with goals (39) and points (81) during the regular season, Reinhart scored 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 14 games this postseason.
Miccola, the pillar next to Seth Jones in the team’s second pair, reached a new level in the playoffs, scoring five points (3 goals, 2 assists), 40 hits and 13 blocks in 15 games.
Packing punches in line 4, Greer has two goals and 44 hits in 11 playoff games.
“I don’t want to see anyone get injured or miss a game,” Forward Rodriguez said. “It’s nice to have them back on the ice and find out they’re nearby.”
If the Panthers can outperform the Hurricanes in Game 5, they will advance to their third Stanley Cup final.
Stay tuned for the latest updates following our Wednesday morning skating at Lenovo Center.
