NHL twitter divided as Eetu Luostarinen gets ejected for dangerously driving Jackson Blake into boards: "Extremely dirty", "Terrible call

Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen got slapped with a five-minute major and a game misconduct for his dangerous hit on Carolina Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake during the first period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

The hit drew justifiable anger from fans on social media as Blake lay on the ice in noticeable pain.

Here’s a look at what fans had to say about the Luostarinen’s extremely reckless hit:

Meanwhile, other fans questioned Jackson Blake’s actions during the play. Here’s a look at what these fans stated about how Blake handled himself:

Eetu Luotarinen’s hit will likely get a second look from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety (DoPS) to determine if further discipline is warranted. If so, the Panthers’ forward could face a suspension or a fine.

Florida Panthers steamroll Hurricanes without Eetu Luostarinen in Game 3

The Florida Panthers scored five times in the third period to rack up a 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canes and Panthers entered the third period tied at one. But then, two quick goals from Niko Mikkola and Aleksander Barkov, roughly 30 seconds apart, caused the wheels to fall off for the Hurricanes.

Barkov’s goal made the game 4-1 as the Canes could not stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, Eetu Luostarinen’s absence did not seem to slow down the Panthers.

The Cats had more than enough firepower throughout the lineup to make up for Eetu Luostarinen’s ejection from the game.

The Panthers now have a 3-0 series lead and will be looking for the sweep on Monday night. The Canes are on the verge of suffering their second four-game sweep at the hands of the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final in three years.

Back in 2023, both clubs met in the third round, with the Panthers hardly breaking a sweat en route to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1996.

The Panthers ultimately fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final that season.

The Hurricanes will be looking to pull off a seemingly impossible feat in coming back from a 3-0 deficit in this series. Given the Panthers’ momentum thus far, it seems improbable that the Hurricanes would be able to come back.

That situation means the Canes will need to turn things around in Game 4 if they are to send the series back to Carolina for a Game 5.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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