Instant analysis: Panthers vs. Hurricanes, Game 3

Aleksander Barkov and Niko Mikkola each scored twice, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for the Florida Panthers in a 6-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday.

The Panthers are on the brink of returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season.

Brad Marchand also scored, and Jesper Boqvist, in the lineup for injured forward Sam Reinhart, had a goal and two assists. Florida scored five goals in 9:08 in the third period and became the sixth team in NHL history to score five or more goals in each of the first three games of third-round series.

Seth Jarvis and Logan Stankoven scored for the Hurricanes, who lost their 15th consecutive conference final game. Pyotr Kochetkov, who started in place of No. 1 option Frederik Andersen, made 22 saves.

Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 series are 208-4 (.981) all-time, including the Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Florida is 5-0 all-time when leading 3-0 in a best-of-7 series.

What we learned: The Panthers won’t be deterred. They clung to a 1-0 lead after the first period, buoyed by key saves from Bobrovsky. After Stankoven gave Carolina life when he tied the game in the second period, Florida answered with five straight goals to put the game, and maybe the series, away.

Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour opted to start Kochetkov over Andersen, who had allowed nine goals on 36 shots in the first two games, hoping the 25-year-old goalie could provide a spark. He did, turning aside six shots in the first period and eight in the second. But his spark did not last as Florida’s third-period rally proved goaltending to not be the issue for Carolina in this series.

What it means for the Panthers: Florida is right where it wants to be, at home and one game away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers defeated the Oilers in Game 7 last season and lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. But the Panthers must keep their focus to close out the series; Florida is 8-13 (.381) in Game 4s in best-of-7 series and 5-6 (.455) in Game 4s at home.

What it means for the Hurricanes: Carolina must play its aggressive forechecking game consistently in order to force a Game 5 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. And with Kochetkov surrendering six goals on Saturday after Andersen gave up nine in the first two games, Brind’Amour has to decide who he wants in net in an elimination game on Monday. Carolina is 19-16 (.543) overall in Game 4 in best-of-7 series and 8-10 (.444) on the road.

Key moment: Boqvist, who last played in Game 6 of the second round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, took a pass from Evan Rodrigues, skated into the slot and slipped a low backhand shot between Kochetkov’s pads to give Florida a 2-1 lead and jump start the third-period rally.

Unsung player of the game: Rodrigues assisted Mikkola’s opening goal in the first period and Boqvist’s go-ahead goal in the third, was plus-3 and led Florida forwards with 20:20 of ice time.

What’s next: Florida looks to close the series in Game 4 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on Monday (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).