Eetu Luostarinen's ejection from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals significantly impacted the Florida Panthers as they battled the Carolina Hurricanes. The incident occurred with 3:01 left in the first period when Luostarinen delivered a boarding hit on Jackson Blake, leading to a five-minute major penalty and subsequent game misconduct. Despite this, the Panthers held a narrow 1-0 lead at the time and managed to maintain their series advantage, leading 2-0 overall.

Luostarinen, who was tied for the team lead with 13 points, including 4 goals and 9 assists prior to the game, had been a crucial player for Florida, particularly on the road where he accumulated a majority of his points. The Panthers will need to adapt without him as they aim to advance further in the playoffs.