Eastern Conference Final Preview: Canes vs. Panthers

RALEIGH, NC. -The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers open their best-of-seven series on Thursday, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

How Did We Get Here?

Carolinaadvanced by beating the New York Islanders in six games during the first round, then eliminating the New Jersey Devils in five games in the second round.
Floridaadvanced by beating the Boston Bruins in seven games during the first round, then eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games in the second round.

Head-To-Head Meetings

The Canes won two of the three meetings between the two clubs during the regular season.

No Shortage of Storylines

Three brothers going head-to-head for a chance to compete for the sport's ultimate prize?
A former Canes head coach now going against one of his former players and an individual that he first brought into the coaching world in a battle behind the benches?
Sprinkle in Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere being born and raised a Panthers fan in the Sunshine State, Florida netminder Alex Lyon having played with the Canes last year, and this being the first time the two franchises are meeting in postseason play, there's a little bit of everything going on here.

Through Two Rounds...

Not unlike how they operated during the regular season, Carolina's 28 goals allowed are the fewest by any team to play in two rounds in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Allowing a league-low average of 27.8 shots per game in postseason play, Rod Brind'Amour's structure and full-team commitment in their own end has been a prevailing factor.
As for Florida, after taking down the beast that was the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in the first round, the Cats used some stellar goaltending (more on that below), quality power play performances (33.3%), and wins in all three games in Toronto to oust the Maple Leafs. Their ability to mix their skill with their willingness to grind has made for a successful mix.

Special Teams

Unsurprising to anyone that's followed the team this season, Carolina's penalty kill paces all teams in the postseason, operating at a 90% success rate. They've allowed just three power-play goals through two rounds and they've scored while shorthanded four times.
Tim Gleason's units will have to be on point again this series because Florida has the ability to be a difference-maker. The Cats finished with 63 power-play goals during the regular season (8th - NHL), and have converted on eight tries in postseason play.
However, on the other side of the coin, Boston went 11/27 on the power play against the Panthers in Round 1. Carolina's man advantage has cashed in seven times during the playoffs, but just twice in Round 2 against New Jersey.
The Canes have shown they can win at five-on-five, but the special teams battle could swing this series in either direction if penalties become a factor.

In Net

After taking back the crease from Lyon in Game 4 of their opening-round series against Boston, Sergei Bobrovsky has been a man on a mission for the Cats. 7-2 in his nine appearances, his .943 save percentage at even strength is the best among all goalies remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
11 of the 26 goals he's allowed this postseason have come on the man advantage, an area that the Canes will have to try and capitalize on.
At the other end of the ice is expected to be Frederik Andersen, to start.
After initially going into the lineup to give Antti Raanta a game off during their first-round series against the Islanders, "Zilla" has never looked back. Going hand-in-hand with Carolina's penalty kill being the best in the NHL this postseason, Andersen has played a big part in that, allowing just one goal to the opposition's power play in six games and producing a .941 SV% when his team is down a man.

Players To Watch

Carolina: Brent Burns
#8 had four points in three games against the Cats during the regular season, including a pair of goals in the season finale.
The veteran blueliner also found twine in Games 4 and 5 to help close out the series for the Canes against the Devils. Is more offense in store?
Florida: Matthew Tkachuk
Who else?
A Hart Trophy finalist, the 25-year-old led the Panthers in scoring with 109 points in the regular season and now also paces them in postseason play with 16. Not only can he score, he's physical, and appears to be all over the place when he's on the ice.

How They See It:

Martin Necastalking about the benefits of having almost a full week of rest...
"It's always nice. Last year we played Game 7 (in Round 1), then right into the next series, and went all the way to seven games again. Every game in the playoffs is hard and you do get tired. If you can get a few days in between rounds like this, it always helps."
Sebastian Ahoon Florida and what he's expecting in this series...
"They're fast, they have skill, but they're also willing to grind. That's why they're still playing, right? They're just a good team. I think it's going to be a fast-paced series. It'll be physical and all that. We'll have to play our best games to beat them."

Worth A Click:
CanesCast Episode 251: It's A Southern Hockey Thing
Playoff Notebook: Two Days Out
Injury Report: Teravainen Moving Closer To Returning
Playoff Notebook: On To The Next One
Burns' Impact & Experience In His First Season As A Hurricane
Learn More About Season Ticket Memberships For The 2023-24 Season