Refs Eject Panthers' Eetu Luostarinen For Board-Rattling Hit on Hurricanes' Jackson Blake

That's gotta hurt.

That's gotta hurt. / Screenshot via TNT.

Apparently, Tuesday night's fight between Brad Marchand and Shayne Gostisbehere was just the tip of the iceberg for what was to come in a tension-filled Eastern Conference finals.

During the first period of Saturday's Game 3 between the Panthers and Hurricanes, Florida center Eetu Luostarinen put a pretty vicious hit on Carolina's Jackson Blake while chasing down a loose puck.

Referees immediately blew the whistle as Blake remained on the ice, and assessed Luostarinen with both a five-minute major and a game misconduct—resulting in ejection from the game.

Here's a look at the hit:

Eetu Luostarinen receives a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Jackson Blake 😬 pic.twitter.com/kGixnwituF

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 25, 2025

Ouch.

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals is currently tied 1-1 midway through the second period. The Panthers hold a 2-0 lead over the Hurricanes in the best-of-seven series.

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